Chicken Biryani - A step-by-step guide to the best rice dish ever

chicken

🥗Healthier: skinless chicken

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Skinless chicken is lower in fat; chicken thighs are often cheaper than breasts.

basmati rice

🥗Healthier: brown rice

💰Cheaper: long-grain rice

Brown rice is more nutritious; long-grain rice is often less expensive.

Slice a lot of onions thinly using a knife or mandolin.

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan to medium-low heat, about 2 cm deep.

Fry the onions in batches, keeping them moving to avoid burning, until they are caramelized.

Remove the onions from the oil and drain on paper towels.

In the pot you'll cook the biryani, add 1 kg of skinless chicken thighs.

Add yogurt, Kashmiri chili powder, ginger paste, garam masala, lemon juice, sliced green chili, cinnamon stick, crushed green cardamom pods, cumin seeds, cloves, and salt to the chicken.

Add roughly chopped mint and cilantro, and about a third of the fried onions. Mix well to coat the chicken.

Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Wash aged basmati rice in cold water two times, then soak it for 35 to 40 minutes.

Prepare saffron milk by steeping saffron in warm milk.

To seal the pot, make a dough with flour and water, knead it, and let it rest.

In a large pot, boil water and season it with salt and flavor it with cardamom, halved green chili, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cumin seeds.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water, cooking until just al dente, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Check the rice for doneness, ensuring it still has a bit of bite.

Layer the marinated chicken in a pot, followed by the partially cooked rice, and pour over the saffron milk.

Seal the pot tightly with the dough or a tea towel to keep the steam in.

Cook on low heat until the chicken is fully cooked and the rice is tender.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens