Quick and Easy Chicken Biryani Recipe for Busy Cooks

Chicken Biryani is one of the most famous food items of India people of all ages and all over the world prefer this food item and it could also be taken for breakfast. This delicious, scented, and rather soft food is tasty and can be prepared with tender chicken, fragrant rice, and a set of spices to become the masterpiece. This Chicken Biryani will make you turn into a food lover, especially if you have decided on having an Indian home-made dinner party or you are craving a different Indian recipe.

Table of Contents

History of Chicken Biryani

Biryani is a local dish that was cremated from the Mughal Empire in India. From the present-day recipes, it is recorded that the chain of cooking this dish was started by the Persian traders and travelers in the Indian sub-continent. The name Biryani was given because the Persian word ‘birian’ refers to ‘fried before cooking. ’ Hence, with time Biryani also started changing and the type of spices, which were regional and the ones available nearby also changed over time. Nowadays it symbolizes the luxurious food of India and every region of India has its variant of this particular dish.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

1 kg Chicken (bone-in pieces, preferably thighs and drumsticks)
1 cup Yogurt
2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Coriander Powder
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 Lemon

For the Rice:

2 cups Basmati Rice
4 cups Water
2 Bay Leaves
4 Cloves
2 Green Cardamom Pods
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Shahi Jeera (Caraway Seeds)
Salt to taste

For the Biryani:

3 tbsp Ghee or Oil
3 large Onions (thinly sliced)
2 Green Chilies (slit)
1 cup Mint Leaves (chopped)
1 cup Cilantro Leaves (chopped)
1 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 cup Milk
A pinch of Saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk)
2 tsp Biryani Masala (store-bought or homemade)
1/4 cup Fried Onions (for garnish)

Instructions

Step 1: Marinating the Chicken

In a big bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, red chili, powders, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, salt and lemon juice.
Finally, pour the marinade over the chicken pieces, making sure to combine well for the chicken pieces to be well coated.
Pour this mixture over the fruit and then cover the bowl with transparent film and let the bowl chill in the refrigerator for not less than 2 hours though better overnight. This makes flavors get absorbed in the chicken and at the same time, it tenderizes the chicken making it full of flavors.

Step 2: Preparing the Rice

Rinse the basmati rice well under cold water until the water you rinse with runs clear. Rinse the rice with tap water for 30 minutes before draining the water out of the vessel.
Pour four cups of water into a large pot, and heat until it starts to boil. Later put the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, Shai jeera, and salt into it.
Pour the rice that had been leveled, soaked, and rinsed into the boiling water. The water is simmered to a boil, and the rice is cooked till it is 70 % done or up to the time the grains do not crumble when bitten.
Wash the rice with water let it steam and keep it aside. Usually, rice has to be cooked in this manner once while assembling the final biryani and then a second time.

Step 3: Cooking the Chicken

In a large, deep pot or a large Dutch oven, melt the ghee or heat the oil in a medium setting.
Ad the thinly sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown and crispy. Sieve half of the fried onions and put aside for garnishing.
Pour the green chilies into the pot and fry for one minute.
Finally, stir in the marinated chicken, and the marinade that it was soaked in. Saute on medium heat until the chicken is about ¾ done; stir from time to time.
In conclusion, add in the chopped tomatoes, the mint leaves, the coriander leaves, and the biryani masala to the pot. Chop all the mentioned ingredients and fry until the tomatoes get soft and the oil rises to the top of the gravy.

Step 4: Layering the Biryani

Reduce the heat to low and begin to put the rice that is still somewhat raw in the chicken mixture. Then pour half of the cooked rice on the chicken and spread it level on the chicken.
For the second layer sprinkle half of the saffron mix for the rice and some of the fried onions on the layer of rice.
Do the same with the rest of the rice, saffron, and fried onion still setting aside some fried onion for garnishing on top of the rice.
Swirling the milk counterclockwise, using the spoon, around the rim of the pot. This process ensures that the moisture is retained on the biryani and at the same time ensures that more flavors are added to the biryani.

Step 5: Dum Cooking (Steaming)

Ensure that the lid that is used is well-fitting and sealed properly on the pot. It is recommended that your lid should fit well; in that case, if it does not, you can opt to place a piece of aluminum foil or a damp kitchen towel over it.
Lastly, fry the biryani on a low flame until it is done which will take approximately 20- 25 minutes. This is called dum cooking where the rice and chicken are boiled simultaneously to enhance the mingling of flavored updates.
For better distribution of heat inside the pot, place a griddle or any flat pan below the containment known as a tawa.
Finally, after 25 minutes, turn off the flame and allow the biryani to be in the steam for another 10 minutes before serving.

Step 6: Serving the Biryani

At this point, it is crucial not to apply much pressure while handling or mixing the Biryani layers; it is best to do so with a fork and ensure that the rice structure does not break.
Pull the biryani into a serving dish and serve it garnished with the fried onions that were initially prepared.
To best enjoy this spicy dish, serve it hot garnished with a dollop of raita (yogurt sauce), a side of salad, and lemon wedges at the table.

Conclusion

The end product of this Chicken Biryani recipe is a perfect representation of the Indian flavors that we know and appreciate as well as the aroma from the spices that go into the preparation. This is so because in the marination of the fish, a lot of care is taken and the same applies to the arrangement of the layers of the ingredients and the regulation of time taken in the cooking of the fish which makes the food tasty and appealing to the eyes.

Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes, then take it out, garnish it with coriander leaves on top, and serve it for a dinner party at home, or Wedding, or any special occasion to make your friends and family ask for more. Also follow us on Medium and Pinterest.