Chicken Biryani
Fragrant basmati layered over spiced chicken, sealed and steamed until every grain is perfumed with saffron and whole spices.
Peek at the ingredients
Ingredients 19 ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 4 tbsp ghee, divided
- 2 large onions, sliced thin
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup crispy fried onions (store-bought is fine)
Tap an ingredient to check it off as you shop or cook.
Method
- 1
Marinate the chicken in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, overnight is better.
- 2
Soak the basmati in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain. Steep the saffron in the warm milk and set aside.
- 3
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil with the cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Add the rice and cook exactly 5 minutes until about 70 percent done. Drain immediately.
- 4
In a heavy Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and brown the sliced onions until deeply golden, about 10 minutes. Remove half for garnish.
- 5
Add the marinated chicken to the pot with the remaining onions. Cook 8 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is mostly cooked and the yogurt has thickened.
- 6
Layer the par-cooked rice over the chicken. Drizzle with the saffron milk and remaining 2 tablespoons of melted ghee. Scatter the mint, cilantro, and reserved crispy onions on top.
- 7
Cover the pot with a tight lid (seal the edge with dough or a kitchen towel under the lid if needed). Cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
- 8
Rest 10 minutes off the heat, then gently fluff and serve, making sure each portion gets both rice and chicken.
