Chicken Biryani
Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
For the Chicken Masala
- 1 kg chicken, leg pieces only – thighs and drumsticks recommended
- 3 potatoes, medium, peeled and halved
- 3 onions, large, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, large, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 5-6 green chilies, slit
- 1 cup yogurt, whisked
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 green cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- to taste salt
For the Rice
- 2 cups Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
- 4-5 cups water, enough to boil the rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 green cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 tablespoon salt
For Layering & Garnish
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup fried onions, (from the prepared fried onions)
- 1/4 cup saffron milk, (a few saffron strands soaked in warm milk)
- a pinch food color, optional, can be added to saffron milk
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
- 1 tablespoon ghee, for final layering
- small amount atta, (wheat flour) to make dough for sealing the pot
Instructions
- 1
Peel and halve the 3 medium potatoes. In a large pot or deep pan, heat 1/2 cup oil. Fry the halved potatoes until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the oil and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In the same oil, add the 3 large thinly sliced onions. Fry the onions until they turn deep golden brown and become crispy. Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. Set aside 1/2 cup of these fried onions for layering later.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
If needed, add 2 tablespoons ghee to the same pot (or a clean pot) with a little of the reserved oil from frying the onions. Add the whole spices for chicken masala: 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4-5 green cardamom, 4-5 cloves, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 1 black cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add 3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste and 5-6 slit green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of ginger garlic disappears.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Add 2 large finely chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy, breaking them down with your spoon.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add the powdered spices: 1 tablespoon red chili powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and salt to taste. Mix all the spices well with the tomato mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if the masala starts to stick to prevent burning.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add 1 kg chicken leg pieces (thighs and drumsticks) to the pot. Mix thoroughly to ensure the chicken is well-coated with the masala.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add 1 cup whisked yogurt. Mix everything together gently. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is about 70-80% cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 20 min
- 9
Once the chicken is partially cooked, add the fried potatoes to the chicken masala. Mix gently to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
In a separate large pot, bring 4-5 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the whole spices for rice: 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4-5 green cardamom, 4-5 cloves, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 1 black cardamom.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Add the 2 cups of soaked Basmati rice to the boiling water. Boil the rice until it is 70% cooked (al dente). The rice grains should be elongated but still firm to the bite. Immediately drain the rice and set aside.
⏱️ 7 min
- 12
In a heavy-bottomed pot (this can be the same pot the chicken masala was cooked in if it’s large enough, or a fresh pot), spread a layer of the prepared chicken masala with potatoes evenly at the bottom.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Carefully layer half of the partially cooked rice over the chicken masala. Sprinkle a portion of the chopped mint leaves (1/4 cup), chopped coriander leaves (1/4 cup), and the reserved fried onions (1/2 cup) over this rice layer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 14
Drizzle half of the saffron milk (with optional food color) and juice from 1/2 a lemon over the layered ingredients.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Add the remaining half of the partially cooked rice to form the next layer. Repeat the sprinkling of mint, coriander, fried onions, saffron milk, and lemon juice. Drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee over the very top layer of rice.
⏱️ 3 min
- 16
To create a tight seal for dum cooking, prepare a small amount of atta (wheat flour) dough. Roll it into a rope and place it around the rim of the pot. Place the lid firmly on top, pressing down to seal it completely with the dough. This traps the steam inside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 17
Place the sealed pot on a tawa (griddle) over low heat. Cook for 20-25 minutes. This slow cooking method allows the rice to absorb all the flavors and steam cook perfectly.
⏱️ 25 min
- 18
Once the dum cooking is complete, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, undisturbed, for another 10-15 minutes before breaking the seal.
⏱️ 15 min
- 19
Gently open the lid and use a fork to fluff the biryani, carefully mixing the layers to distribute the chicken and spices. Serve the Chicken Biryani hot.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Chicken Biryani
For the Chicken Masala
- 1 kg chicken, leg pieces only – thighs and drumsticks recommended
- 3 potatoes, medium, peeled and halved
- 3 onions, large, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, large, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 5-6 green chilies, slit
- 1 cup yogurt, whisked
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 green cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- to taste salt
For the Rice
- 2 cups Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
- 4-5 cups water, enough to boil the rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 green cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 tablespoon salt
For Layering & Garnish
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup fried onions, (from the prepared fried onions)
- 1/4 cup saffron milk, (a few saffron strands soaked in warm milk)
- a pinch food color, optional, can be added to saffron milk
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
- 1 tablespoon ghee, for final layering
- small amount atta, (wheat flour) to make dough for sealing the pot
Instructions
- 1
Peel and halve the 3 medium potatoes. In a large pot or deep pan, heat 1/2 cup oil. Fry the halved potatoes until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the oil and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In the same oil, add the 3 large thinly sliced onions. Fry the onions until they turn deep golden brown and become crispy. Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. Set aside 1/2 cup of these fried onions for layering later.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
If needed, add 2 tablespoons ghee to the same pot (or a clean pot) with a little of the reserved oil from frying the onions. Add the whole spices for chicken masala: 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4-5 green cardamom, 4-5 cloves, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 1 black cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add 3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste and 5-6 slit green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of ginger garlic disappears.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Add 2 large finely chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy, breaking them down with your spoon.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add the powdered spices: 1 tablespoon red chili powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and salt to taste. Mix all the spices well with the tomato mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if the masala starts to stick to prevent burning.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add 1 kg chicken leg pieces (thighs and drumsticks) to the pot. Mix thoroughly to ensure the chicken is well-coated with the masala.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add 1 cup whisked yogurt. Mix everything together gently. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is about 70-80% cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 20 min - 9
Once the chicken is partially cooked, add the fried potatoes to the chicken masala. Mix gently to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
In a separate large pot, bring 4-5 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the whole spices for rice: 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4-5 green cardamom, 4-5 cloves, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 1 black cardamom.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Add the 2 cups of soaked Basmati rice to the boiling water. Boil the rice until it is 70% cooked (al dente). The rice grains should be elongated but still firm to the bite. Immediately drain the rice and set aside.
⏱️ 7 min - 12
In a heavy-bottomed pot (this can be the same pot the chicken masala was cooked in if it’s large enough, or a fresh pot), spread a layer of the prepared chicken masala with potatoes evenly at the bottom.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Carefully layer half of the partially cooked rice over the chicken masala. Sprinkle a portion of the chopped mint leaves (1/4 cup), chopped coriander leaves (1/4 cup), and the reserved fried onions (1/2 cup) over this rice layer.
⏱️ 3 min - 14
Drizzle half of the saffron milk (with optional food color) and juice from 1/2 a lemon over the layered ingredients.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Add the remaining half of the partially cooked rice to form the next layer. Repeat the sprinkling of mint, coriander, fried onions, saffron milk, and lemon juice. Drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee over the very top layer of rice.
⏱️ 3 min - 16
To create a tight seal for dum cooking, prepare a small amount of atta (wheat flour) dough. Roll it into a rope and place it around the rim of the pot. Place the lid firmly on top, pressing down to seal it completely with the dough. This traps the steam inside.
⏱️ 5 min - 17
Place the sealed pot on a tawa (griddle) over low heat. Cook for 20-25 minutes. This slow cooking method allows the rice to absorb all the flavors and steam cook perfectly.
⏱️ 25 min - 18
Once the dum cooking is complete, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, undisturbed, for another 10-15 minutes before breaking the seal.
⏱️ 15 min - 19
Gently open the lid and use a fork to fluff the biryani, carefully mixing the layers to distribute the chicken and spices. Serve the Chicken Biryani hot.
⏱️ 2 min