Chicken Biryani 雞肉香飯

Chicken Biryani is a classic Indian one-pot dish featuring aromatic basmati rice cooked with succulent marinated chicken, rich spices, and herbs, resulting in a fragrant and flavorful meal.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 400g Basmati rice
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
• 150g plain yogurt
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 5 tbsp ghee or cooking oil
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 2 tsp salt (divided)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch saffron strands
• 2 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tsp rose water (optional)
• 1 tsp kewra water (optional)

Steps

1. Rinse basmati rice thoroughly until water runs clear. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain well.
2. Soak saffron strands in warm milk and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Garam Masala, 1 tsp salt, and lemon juice. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Heat 3 tbsp ghee/oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and fry until deep golden brown and crispy. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnishing.
5. To the remaining fried onions in the pot, add green chilies, chopped tomatoes, and the marinated chicken. Sauté for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned and the tomatoes are soft.
6. Stir in half of the chopped mint leaves and half of the chopped coriander leaves into the chicken mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.
7. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp ghee/oil, 1 tsp salt, green cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Add the drained basmati rice and cook until it's 70-80% done (al dente, grains should still have a slight bite but not be fully cooked), about 5-7 minutes. Drain immediately.
8. Spread half of the partially cooked rice over the chicken mixture in the pot. Sprinkle with the remaining half of mint and coriander leaves, and half of the reserved fried onions.
9. Add the remaining rice over the first layer. Drizzle with the saffron-infused milk, rose water, and kewra water. Top with the remaining fried onions.
10. Cover the pot tightly with a lid, preferably sealed with dough or aluminum foil to trap the steam. Cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes. This "dum" cooking allows the rice to fully cook in the steam and absorb the flavors.
11. Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes before opening. Gently fluff the biryani with a fork, mixing the layers. Serve hot with raita or salad.

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