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Chicken tikka biryani recipe

Chicken tikka biryani is a combination of aromatic basmati rice with succulent pieces of marinated chicken. It's hearty and delicious.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Marinate
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 6 portions
Calories: 816 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: Indian , Pakistani

Ingredients

For the chicken tikka
  • 1.5 lbs boneless chicken cut in pieces see the note
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, finely chopped, or grated.
  • ½ inch ginger minced, finely chopped, or grated.
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
  • ¾ teaspoon ground coriander.
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or ground cayenne pepper.
  • ½ teaspoon paprika powder.
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
  • 1 teaspoon salt.
  • 2 tablespoons natural yogurt.
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice from ½ lemon.
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil.
For the masala:
  • 1 brown onion chopped.
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, finely chopped, or grated.
  • ½ inch ginger minced, finely chopped, or grated.
  • 1½ teaspoon cumin powder.
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or ground cayenne pepper.
  • ½ coarse black pepper.
  • 2 bay leaves.
  • 2 inches cinnamon stick.
  • 5-6 green cardamom pods.
  • ¾ cup milliliters cooking oil.
  • 1½ cups tinned tomatoes.
  • ½ cup milliliters natural yogurt.
  • ¼ cup milliliters water.
For the rice:
  • 2½ cups basmati rice washed, rinsed, and soak in plenty of water.
  • ¼ teaspoon orange food coloring + 1 tablespoon of water (optional).
  • 3-4 fresh green chilies optional.
  • 12 ounces new potatoes cut into big chunks.
  • Cooking oil for deep frying.

Instructions

For chicken tikka:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a mixing bowl, place the ginger, garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder/ cayenne pepper powder, paprika powder, turmeric powder, ground black pepper, salt, yogurt, lemon juice, and oil. Stir until all is well mixed and combined.
  2. Toss the chicken pieces into the spice mixture until all pieces are coated with spices. Using a skewer or a fork, pierce the chicken pieces at the same time and try to make as many holes as possible in the poultry. This way the meat will absorb the marinate better.
  3. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Or, leave it overnight for the best flavor developed in the chicken.
  4. When you are ready to make your chicken tikka biryani, put the marinated chicken pieces on skewers.
  5. Then arrange the skewered chicken on a roasting tray. Cook them in the oven for about 25 minutes in a preheated oven at 375°F/ 190°C or at gas mark 5. You will have to turn the skewers halfway through so the chicken pieces will be cooked thoroughly and evenly.
For the chicken tikka masala
  1. While the chicken is cooking, get the potatoes ready. Deep fry them so they are golden brown. Set them aside.
  2. Then, start making the masala. Fry the chopped onion in a large cooking pan at medium heat until golden brown.
  3. Add ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder/ cayenne pepper powder, turmeric powder, coarse black pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Give it a stir and cook until the spices release a delicious aroma.
  4. Then add the tomatoes to the spice mixture and cook for about 2 minutes before adding yogurt.
  5. Lower the heat and put the lid on. Give it a good stir and leave it to cook for about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Next, take the cooked chicken tikka pieces off the skewers and put them in the masala, followed by the fried potatoes. You can add ¼ cup of water, then mix well. Let it cook and simmer until the sauce slightly thickens.
For the chicken tikka biryani:
  1. In the meantime, drain the soaked rice, and cooked in 5 cups of hot boiling water. Once the rice is half cooked - the grains look slightly translucent and expand a little bit - drain the rice using a colander.
  2. Check the masala, make sure it's piping hot. Give it a good stir to ensure it doesn't get burned at the bottom of the pan. Take half of the chicken tikka masala out of the pan and place it in a bowl.
  3. Next, place half the rice over the half chicken tikka masala in the pot. Spread it evenly. Then put the other half of the masala on top of the rice, followed by the last half of the rice. Basically, you want to layer the biryani.
  4. Lastly, sprinkle the food coloring water mixture or the saffron milk over the rice.
  5. Cover the inside lid with a kitchen towel or kitchen paper, and put the tight lid on the pan. Turn the heat down and cook the rice at low heat until the steam comes out. It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to steam the rice with chicken tikka masala.
  6. Once the rice is cooked, carefully turn the rice so the masala and chicken spread nicely all over the rice.
  7. Garnish the rice with chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves and serve with mint yogurt chutney.

Notes

  • I use boneless chicken thighs for this recipe because they are more flavorful and always stay moist.
  • If possible, use Kashmiri red chili powder as it gives a nice vibrant color to the food and it has a moderate heat level. But of course, you can always use cayenne pepper which makes the biryani equally delicious.
  • I almost always use tinned tomatoes for my cooking as it’s more practical for me. However, I appreciate that you may want to use fresh tomatoes. In that case, I’d say you blanch the tomatoes and peel their skins first before using them in your masala. So that your masala sauce will be smooth.
  • Any neutral cooking oil should be good, i.e. rapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil. Make sure you use natural yogurt which usually tastes tangy. And the tangier it is, the better. If your yogurt is still “fresh”, you can place the amount you need in a small bowl and leave it at room temperature overnight. And if you don’t have time to do so, just squeeze a little lemon juice into it and mix it before using.
  • If you like, you can use saffron to add flavor and color to your biryani instead of using food coloring. Just soak a good pinch of saffron in a tablespoon of milk and leave it to develop its vibrant color.

Nutrition Information

Serving 6portions Calories 816kcal (41%) Carbohydrates 85g (28%) Protein 32g (64%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 11g Monounsaturated Fat 23g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 108mg (36%) Sodium 681mg (28%) Potassium 963mg (28%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 496IU (10%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 147mg (15%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6portions

Amount Per Serving

Calories 816

% Daily Value*

Serving 6portions
Calories 816kcal 41%
Carbohydrates 85g 28%
Protein 32g 64%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 11g 65%
Monounsaturated Fat 23g 115%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 108mg 36%
Sodium 681mg 28%
Potassium 963mg 20%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 496IU 10%
Vitamin C 24mg 27%
Calcium 147mg 15%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.