Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. I’ve enjoyed many dishes of biryani from local Indian restaurants, but it’s always so satisfying to make at home. Biryani is essentially a spiced rice dish layered with meats or vegetables, though there are many types of biryani, with dozens of regional and personal variations. It truly is a diverse dish representing many cultures. This version is one I prefer, similar to a Hyderabadi biryani, layered with flavored rice, marinated chicken, and aromatic saffron, all made in one pot. If you’ve been afraid of making this dish at home because of the number of ingredients and steps, I’ve broken it all down to make it as easy as possible. It’s a lot like my favorite local place. Let’s talk about how to make biryani, shall we?
FOR THE CHICKEN & MARINADE Plain Yogurt. Vegetables. Fresh garlic, fresh ginger, green chilies. Use serrano or other smaller hot chilies, or milder to your preference. Spices. Garam masala, paprika (or other red chili powder, like Kashmiri), turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, salt. Chicken. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or chicken breast. FOR THE RICE Whole Spices. Cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise. Plus salt. Bay leaf is nice, too. Basmati Rice. FOR THE CRISPY ONIONS Vegetable Oil. Onion. ADDITIONALS Saffron. Warm Milk. Or use water. Ghee. Or use butter. Chopped Cilantro. Or you can use a mix of cilantro and mint.
First you’ll marinate the chicken in a mix of yogurt and warming spices. You can marinate for 2 hours, but you’ll get much more flavor penetration if you marinate overnight. Next, par boil the rice in water with the whole spices, just enough to soften the rice a bit, but not cook it all the way through. Drain the rice. Meanwhile, lightly fry thinly sliced onions in oil over medium heat until they start to crisp up and turn golden brown, 10 minutes or so. Bloom the saffron in warm milk or warm water a couple minutes. Set it all aside and we can now make the biryani! First, partially cook the marinated chicken (with the marinade) in a large pot, just a couple minutes per side. Spread the partially cooked rice over the the top, then a layer of fried onions, then a bit of fresh chopped cilantro, then drizzle over the saffron mix. Cover the pot and simmer the whole pot for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is done and the rice is nice and fluffy. Boom! Done! Your biryani is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn’t it? Serve it as a flavorful side dish, or make an extra batch and serve it as your main. Sprinkle on lemon juice for a fresh touch of acidity! Consider raita, a yogurt-based side with with vegetables and spices, a simple fresh salad, or roti. You might also enjoy this tomato chutney or mango chutney, which add a tangy note to the meal. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months, though freezing can affect the texture of the rice. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your chicken biryani. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
The Indian Cooking Course, by Monisha Bharadwaj (affiliate link, my friends!)
