Easy Chicken Biryani Recipe

by Sujata Kotian Das - December 11, 2018

Chicken Biryani Recipe

Here I present the most easiest and simplest way of making chicken biryani without any fanfare.

Chicken biryani is a blend of fragrant rice, aromatic spices, caramelized onions and juicy well marinated chicken.This recipe is a life saver if you expect any last moment guests. I would definitely say this is a must try recipe at home and guarantee you will get lot of praises for this super delicious Chicken Biryani :)

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Preparation time : 20 mins

Cook time : 40 mins

Ingredients :

For Rice

200 gms Basmati rice

1 litre water

1 Bay leaf

2 green Cardamom

1 black Cardamom

1 inch Cinnamon

2-3 Cloves

1 tbsp Ghee/ Oil

5-6 Black pepper

Salt as per taste

For marination

600 gms Chicken

200 gms Curd

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

1 tsp Chilli powder

1 tsp Turmeric powder

3 Green Chilli

1/2 tsp Biryani masala/ Chicken masala

1 Large Tomato finely chopped

2 tbsp Mint leaves

Salt as per taste

For fried onions

Oil for deep frying

2 Large Onions

For cooking

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp Ghee

2 pinch Saffron soaked in milk

2 tbsp mint leaves

Whole spices (cloves , cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, bay leaves)

Garnish

Fried onions

Mint leaves

Method :

Marinate the chicken for at-least 30 mins using all the ingredients mentioned above under marination section
Until the chicken gets marinated deep fry the thin slices of onions . Keep the flame in medium high and fry the onions in 3 to 4 batches
Fry onions until sweet and a bit crispy, this will be used as the layers in Biryani as well as for garnishing. Keep it aside
Now in a large pot/pan take oil and ghee . Sauté whole spices in low flame until it oozes all its flavour in the oil .
Now add marinated chicken along with half potion of fried onions. Sauté for 5 mins until chicken turns a bit white in texture
Add 1/4 cup water (if required coz yogurt releases water) mix well and close the lid and cook the chicken in medium to low flame for 20 mins or until it is cooked. Keep checking and stirring the chicken in intervals
Until the chicken gets cooked, bring 1 liter water to boil add whole spices, salt and ghee
Now add washed Basmati rice and cook for about 4 mins or until the rice is 75% cooked and still a bit firm in the middle
Drain immediately and set aside
Once chicken is cooked let’s start layering the Biryani. Scatter over fried onions, ghee and mint leaves
Top with all the rice carefully and gently pat down and flatten surface
Drizzle over saffron soaked in milk across the rice. Saffron will give natural beautiful colour to our biryani
Then drizzle over ghee with some more fried onions and mint leaves
Place the lid and cook for about 7-8 mins
And your Chicken Biryani is ready to be served
Dig deep with spoon and try to reach the surface of the pot so that you get to relish all the layers evenly

Note / Tips

Can substitute Basmati rice with Long grain rice . But the fragrance would be slightly different still super tasty
Saffron brings unique flavour and bright yellow colour to the recipe but it’s not cheap. If your budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads you can go for saffron powder which is not pure and proceed with the recipe
Rinse the Basmati rice several times until the water is clear and not starchy
The amount of water added while cooking the rice is very important. And it differs with the age of the rice. Basmati rice typically will need less water than other long grain rice varieties to yield a light fluffy cooked rice.

Chicken Biryani Recipe Step-by-Step with Pictures:

Marinate the chicken for at-least 30 mins or can keep overnight using all the ingredients mentioned above under marination section
Until the chicken gets marinated deep fry the thin slices of onions . Keep the flame in medium high and fry the onions in 3 to 4 batches
Fry onions until sweet and a bit crispy, this will be used as the layers in Biryani as well as for garnishing. Keep it aside
Now in a large pot/pan take oil and ghee . Sauté whole spices in low flame until it oozes all its flavour in the oil .
Now add marinated chicken along with half potion of fried onions. Sauté for 5 mins until chicken turns a bit white in texture
Add 1/4 cup water (if required coz yogurt releases water) mix well and close the lid and cook the chicken in medium to low flame for 20 mins or until it is cooked. Keep checking and stirring the chicken in intervals
Bring 1 liter water to boil add whole spices, salt and ghee
Now add washed Basmati rice and cook for about 4 mins or until the rice is 75% cooked and still a bit firm in the middle
Drain immediately and set aside
Once chicken is cooked let’s start layering the Biryani. Scatter over fried onions, ghee and mint leaves
Top with all the rice carefully and gently pat down and flatten surface
Drizzle over saffron soaked in milk across the rice. Saffron will give natural beautiful colour to our biryani
Then drizzle over ghee with some more fried onions and mint leaves
Place the lid and cook for about 7-8 mins
And your Chicken Biryani is ready to be served
Dig deep with spoon and try to reach the surface of the pot so that you get to relish all the layers evenly