Easy Chicken Biryani Recipe

What is biryani

Biryani, also spelt biriyani, breyani or biriani, is so popular all over the world, and there are quite a few variations of this dish. The main ingredients are spiced rice, meat and seasoning in one dish, and here it is entirely up to you how little or how much you use.

For my easy chicken biryani recipe I chose boneless, skinless chicken thighs, as they are flavourful and very easy to cook. There are 4 main steps for cooking biryani: marinating the chicken, pre-boiling the rice in spices, cooking the chicken, and assembling the dish.

Ingredients needed to make the marinade

• boneless, skinless chicken thighs - I did not dice them, but cooked the whole
• yogurt - I chose Greek yogurt, but plain natural yogurt also works
• Indian spices: garam masala, ground cumin, ground turmeric, chilli flakes, ground coriander and paprika

Step-by-step instructions on marinating the chicken

• in a small bowl, add the garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika and chilli flakes
• add the yogurt and mix well to get a smooth paste
• the chicken thighs are now added to the mixture and coated very well in the spiced yogurt
• cover the bowl with clingfilm, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally more

Ingredients needed for the spiced rice

• basmati rice
• salt
• cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick

• rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear
• add it to a pan together with the water, salt and spices, and boil the rice until it's about 80% cooked, it will cook further afterwards

Ingredients needed to cook the chicken

• onions - I used small regular onions, but you can use one large onion, or red onion
• garlic cloves - garlic puree is also ok
• fresh ginger - ginger paste is also ok
• oil - I used vegetable oil, but ghee is another option
• spices: garam masala, turmeric, red chilli peppers, bay leaf, saffron
• chicken stock/broth
• marinated chicken
• fresh parsley - or coriander for garnishing

Step-by-step instructions to cook and assemble the biryani

• heat up the oil in a large pan
• add the onions cut julienne and fry until golden
• reserve half of the onions and set aside
• over the remaining onions in the pan add the garam masala, turmeric, chopped garlic and ginger and chilli peppers
• stir for 30 seconds so that the flavours are released
• add the chicken thighs in one layer, and cook them on both sides until seared

• pour over the chicken stock, and leave it to cook with the lid on until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is reduced by quarter
• in a small bowl, add the saffron, add 2 tablespoons of warm water, and set aside for 10 minutes for the saffron to soak
• add the preboiled rice to the chicken, top it with the remaining onions, drizzle the saffron liquid over, and scatter chopped parsley over
• place the lid back on, and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes until the rice is cooked through
• remove the pan from the heat, but leave the lid on for a further 10 minutes
• serve straight after

Variations

Whether you go for a strong-flavoured or a mild version, this biryiani can be be adapted to your own taste and lifestyle. Swap the chicken for beef - my beef biriyani is absolutely delicious, mutton, lamb or any other meat of your choice.

But be mindful, the cooking time will be longer, as the meat will not be tender as quickly as chicken is.

Or make it completely vegetarian, but adding a range of vegetables: cauliflower, baby corn, green beans, eggplant, whatever you have in the fridge. In this case, it will be ready in no time.

You can also use saffron to make it even more flavourful, I know it's a tad expensive, but I guess if you use it in many other dishes, it's worth the extra expense. Otherwise, just a bit of turmeric with milk can be drizzled over the rice to give it that distinctive biryani touch. I used diced chicken breast, but you can also use drumsticks, thighs, or whole chicken legs.

If you fancy something similar, but equally delicious, why not try my Arabian Chicken Kabsa? It's a one-pot chicken and rice dish, as fragrant and delicious.

Other Indian recipes

Chicken Masala

Easy Butter Chicken Recipe (Indian Style)

Indian Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Indian Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk