⏤ The Recipe
Chicken Biryani.
This authentic stylechicken biryani recipefeatures layers of yogurt-marinated chicken, spiced rice, and fried onions. Covered with a dough “lid,” and baked long and slow, it offers a blend of flavors for a filling, truly incredible dish far better than anything you’ll find at a r…
Prep
1h
Cook
1h
Total
4h
Serves
8
⏤ The Story
This authentic stylechicken biryani recipefeatures layers of yogurt-marinated chicken, spiced rice, and fried onions. Covered with a dough “lid,” and baked long and slow, it offers a blend of flavors for a filling, truly incredible dish far better than anything you’ll find at a restaurant!
Biryani is a rice dish popular in South Asia and is one of the most popular dishes in all of India. You can find many variations, but they all combine layers of cooked rice and meat or vegetables with a unique blend of aromatics and spices. As you may have guessed, biryani chicken, sometimes referred to as chicken biryani, uses chicken that is coated in a spiced yogurt marinade.
I’ve always loved the bold flavors of the dish. However, my appreciation for this recipe grew even further after I had the opportunity to learn how to make it from the head chef of one of the most popular restaurants in India. Naturally, I had to run my chicken biryani recipe by him, and he gave it his seal of approval. So, you know it’s going to be good!
Don’t be intimidated by the steps. While it is a fairly lengthy process to prepare this dish, the instructions are simple and straightforward.
⏤ The Method
Step by step.
For the Chicken Spice Mixture
- 1
In a small stainless steel skillet over medium heat, add the bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, green cardamom, and black cardamom to the pan. Continuously shake and stir the spices and toast them for one to two minutes, or until fragrant.
- 2
Transfer the spices to a plate.
- 3
Add the cloves, fennel seed, black peppercorns, coriander seed, caraway seeds, and mace to the same pan and repeat the process. Toast the whole spices for one to two minutes, or until fragrant.
- 4
Transfer the spices to the same plate.
- 5
Once the whole spices have cooled, transfer the larger spices to a spice grinder or food processor. Process until the spices are ground into roughly the same size as a black peppercorn.
- 6
Add the smaller whole spices to the grinder with the larger spices, as well as the nutmeg, and grind until they are all a fine powder. Set aside.
For the Chicken
- 1
Add the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, kashmiri chili powder, biryani spice mix, salt, turmeric, and green chilies to a medium mixing bowl, and stir to combine. Add the chicken, and massage the chicken into the yogurt until each piece is covered in the yogurt marinade.
- 2
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.
For the Rice
- 1
Add the rice to a medium mixing bowl and rinse until the water is mostly clear.
- 2
Cover the rice with water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- 3
Bring six cup (1.4 Liter) of water to a boil in a large Dutch oven or large steel pot.
- 4
Add the oil, whole spices, and salt. Cover and boil for five minutes to infuse the water with the whole spices.
- 5
Add the soaked rice and stir. Boil the rice for five to seven minutes, or until the rice is 75% done. It should be soft on the outside, but still have an uncooked center.
- 6
Drain the rice into a fine mesh sieve and discard whole spices.
For the Fried Onions
- 1
In a medium stainless steel skillet, add the oil and the onions. Starting the onions in cold oil will help them soften, without browning too quickly.
- 2
Cook for about ten minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and softened.
- 3
Line a plate with paper towels.
- 4
Using a fork or tongs, remove the onions from the pan and transfer to the pre-lined plate. Reserve the onion oil and season the onions with salt. Set aside until assembly.
For the Dough
- 1
Right before you assemble the biryani, make the dough.
- 2
In a medium bowl, mix the flour and water until a rough dough forms.
- 3
On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until it is smooth and pliable, about five minutes.
- 4
Gather into a ball and roll out to a 1/4-inch-thick (6.5 millimeter) round that’s a few inches larger than the top of your dish.
For Assembly and Serving
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- 2
Place a large biryani pot over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, skin side down.
- 3
Season with salt, then cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the gravy has reduced by half. It should be the consistency of thin yogurt, and any oil should separate from the liquid and rise to the top.
- 4
Remove from the heat and place the pot on a sheet tray.
- 5
Add half of the fried onions, and half of the mint and cilantro. Be sure the chicken is in one even layer.
- 6
Place the milk for the saffron milk in a heat proof bowl and microwave for 45 seconds, or until warmed through.
- 7
Crush the saffron with a pestle in a small bowl, then pour the hot milk over top. Let it steep for five minutes.
- 8
Add the par cooked rice, making sure the rice is in one even layer. Then top with the remaining onions, mint and cilantro leaves. Drizzle the saffron milk over top, then top with ghee.
- 9
Drape the dough over the top of the dish, pressing to seal it around the edge. Brush gently with ghee.
- 10
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown.
- 11
Remove the dish from the oven and brush the top of the dough with ghee.
- 12
Break open the dough and spoon out the rice and chicken. Serve immediately with raita.
For the Raita
- 1
While the biryani is in the oven, make the raita.
- 2
Add the onions to a small mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Let the onions soak for 15 minutes, then drain them and pat them dry.
- 3
In a small mixing bowl, add the dahi, onions, green chilies, cilantro, and salt. Stir to combine, and serve immediately.
⏤ Chef's Notes
Storage:This dish is best served right away, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days.
⏤ Cook Next
