Chicken Biryani: a little taste of India in every bite
- Gluten free
Expert, ready to eat in 1 hour and 30 minutes
There are times when only a curry will hit the spot. Chicken Biryani is a fragrant and inviting Indian rice dish, famous for its blend of aromatic spices, tender chicken, and fluffy basmati rice. It's a classic one-pot meal that's rich in taste and history.
Ingredients
- 500g chicken pieces, skinless and bone-in
- 300g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
- 200g plain yoghurt
- 200g chopped tomatoes
- Chopped mint leaves
- Chopped coriander leaves
- 250ml vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons warm milk
- Salt to taste
Method
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Fry for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the thinly sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown.
- Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot, along with the chopped tomatoes, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Mix well and cook until the chicken is partially cooked.
- In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add the soaked and drained basmati rice. Cook until it's 70% done, then drain the rice.
- Layer the partially cooked rice over the chicken in the pot. Sprinkle chopped mint and coriander over the top.
- Drizzle the saffron-infused milk over the rice to add a beautiful colour and aroma.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld and the rice to cook completely.
- Gently fluff the Chicken Biryani with a fork and serve hot, accompanied by raita (yoghurt sauce) and cucumber salad.
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