Chicken Biryani
Recipe video above. Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with other proteins or vegetables - see notes. There's a load of spices in this - and it's worth it! (Plus you'll find everything at every day supermarkets). Spiciness: moderate low.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs (, skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1))
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt (, plain)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil ((or other plain oil))
- 6 garlic cloves (, minced)
- 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cayenne ((adjust spiciness to taste))
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp garam marsala ((Note 2))
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp paprika (, sweet / ordinary (not smoked))
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp salt
- 10 cloves
- 5 dried bay leaves
- 1 star anise
- 6 green cardamon pods
- 2 1/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice ((Note 3))
- 2 medium onions (yellow, brown) (, halved and finely sliced)
- 1 cup (250 ml) oil (, for frying)
- 1 tsp saffron threads ((loosely packed) (Note 5))
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 cup coriander / cilantro (, chopped)
- 1/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter (, melted (Note 6))
- Crispy onions ((above))
- Chopped coriander / cilantro
- Yoghurt ((Note 7))
Instructions
- 1
Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm / 11" diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight.
- 2
Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.
- 3
Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.
- 4
Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in)
- 5
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don't burn - they become bitter.
- 6
Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.
- 7
Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+.
- 8
Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- 9
Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice.
- 10
Remove from heat.
- 11
Turn chicken so skin side is down - it should cover most of the base of the pot.
- 12
Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander.
- 13
Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface.
- 14
Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee.
- 15
Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat.
- 16
As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes.
- 17
Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes.
- 18
Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop.
- 19
Turn out into bowl - or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt)