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Chicken Biryani

South Asian layered rice and chicken dish
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine bengali
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Chicken:

  • 3 lbs chicken legs and thighs
  • 2 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp biryani masala (like Shaan brand)
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 3 cups thinly sliced onions
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee

Potatoes:

  • 3 potatoes, quartered medium sized
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Rice:

  • 2.5 cups basmati rice long grained
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 10-12 whole black peppers
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 cinnamon stick pieces small
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee

Layering Ingredients:

  • 9 green chilies
  • 1.5 tsp kewra
  • 4 tbsp ghee melted
  • A pinch of saffron
  • 3 tbsp hot milk

Instructions
 

Chicken:

  • Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes with all the ingredients under “chicken” except for onions, oil, and ghee. Meanwhile, soak the rice in water also for 30 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a wide pot and fry the onions until golden brown and crispy. Stir frequently to avoid burning. This could take about 10-15 minutes. Then remove 2/3 of the onions and set aside.
  • Add marinated chicken to the pot and cook on medium/high heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then cover, lower the heat, and cook until liquid is released from the chicken.
  • Meanwhile, toss the potatoes with 1/4 tsp salt and fry separately in 2 tbsp oil. You should see the edges turning golden and crispy. The potatoes do not need to be cooked through at this point.
  • Add the potatoes to the chicken and cook until the potatoes are cooked (but still on the firm side) and the liquid has reduced to a thick gravy. If necessary, you can add a bit of water if the masala is getting too dry and sticking to the bottom. Add 1 tbsp ghee.

Rice:

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add all the ingredients under “rice” except for ghee. Boil the rice for 5 minutes. Test a grain of rice by pressing it between your fingers: the inside should no longer feel hard and the grain should easily split into two.
  • Immediately drain the rice into a strainer. Toss with 1 tbsp ghee to avoid sticking.

Layering:

  • Spray the bottom of a deep pot with oil. Make sure it has a tight fitting lid. Soak the saffron in hot milk. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Layer the biryani like this:
    A. 1/3 of the rice
    B. 3 green chilies
    C. 1/2 tsp kewra sprinkled in
    D. 1 tbsp melted ghee drizzled in
    E. 1/3 of the reserved fried onions
    F. 1 tbsp saffron/hot milk drizzled in
    G. 1/2 of the chicken/potatoes
    Then repeat these steps 2 times, ending with the saffron/milk. Add an extra tbsp of ghee for good measure.
  • Cover the pot and put it in the oven for 15 minutes to steam. This will allow all the layers to marry. The biryani should be hot and steamy when uncovered. Gently give the biryani a light toss to mix up the chicken and rice and also to fluff up the rice. Serve hot and enjoy!
Keyword biryani, chicken biryani