Chicken Biryani: An Indian Seasoned Rice Dish

Rozlin loves to cook healthy food for her loving family, and she wants to share this recipe with her readers.

Scrumptious Chicken Biryani

Traditionally considered to be a royal delicacy, biryani is a luxurious treat to enjoy on special occasions. It is also a one-pot meal that is the ultimate comfort food, and it is typically served with raita, salad, and papad.

This mouthwatering dish is prepared by slow-cooking chicken that has been marinated in yoghurt and a mix of spices. The chicken is cooked with sautéed onions, tomatoes, and fried potatoes, and then the dish is completed with layers of boiled basmati rice, cooked chicken, fried onion, butter or desi ghee, coriander, mint leaves, saffron, and rose water. Finally, it is steam-cooked on low flame until steam rises. It is served hot with raita, salad, and papad.

Everyone loves this royal delicacy. Do try this recipe at home and let me know how it turns out.

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 700 grams bone-in chicken
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons green chilli paste
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons red chilli powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 200 grams curd
• 4 large onions, sliced
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 500 grams long grain basmati rice, soaked
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 cloves
• 6 black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• water, as needed
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Pinch yellow food colour
• Pinch green food colour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons fried onion
• 3 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

1. Clean and wash the chicken. Let it dry for some time in a colander.
2. Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and curd. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a cooking pot and add sliced onions. Sauté until golden brown. (I use a nonstick cooking pot to prevent the biryani from sticking to the bottom of the pot.)
4. Add the marinated chicken and chopped tomatoes. Give it a good mix. Cover the lid for 1-2 minutes until the oil separates.
5. Add some water to cook the chicken.
6. In another pot, deep-fry the diced potatoes until golden brown.
7. Once the potatoes are golden brown, add them into the cooking pot with the chicken. Mix well. Add some water if required to cook the potatoes with the chicken. Cover and cook until done.
8. Taste for salt and add more if required.
9. Add garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently. Switch off the flame. The biryani masala base is done.
10. In another pot, heat some water to cook the rice. Add cumin seeds, salt, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and black pepper. Let the water come to a boil; then add the soaked rice.
11. When all the rice starts to come up, check it with help of a spoon. If done, drain the water with the help of colander. Pour cold water on the rice to stop cooking further. Fluff the rice with the spoon to let the steam come out and stop the cooking process. Let the rice cool.
12. Add your favourite food colour to the rice by dissolving it in some water.
13. Spread half of the rice on the biryani masala base. Add some butter, fried onion, and coriander leaves.
14. Now spread remaining rice. Again, add some butter, fried onion, and coriander leaves.
15. Cover and steam-cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes.
16. Serve the biryani with raita and papad.

Photo Guide

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Suggestions and Variations

• Chicken marination time: You can marinate the chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes or a maximum of overnight.
• Spice level: You can increase the amount of green chilli paste if you want a spicier biryani.
• Food colour: You can add your favourite food colour (red, green, orange, or yellow). Or you can omit the food colour entirely.
• Mint and coriander: You can add mint leaves with coriander leaves to enhance the flavour.
• Rose water: You can add some rose water too at the time of layering.
• Butter substitution: Instead of butter, you can add desi ghee (clarified butter).
• Meat substitutions: You can use goat meat, beef, or fish instead of chicken.

India Gate Basmati Rice

For making this scrumptious chicken biryani, I used India Gate basmati rice. I just love this brand. The rice turned out long and aromatic, and the final dish was extremely flavourful.

© 2022 Rozlin