Chicken Biriyani Recipe

Prepare and marinate

In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, lemon juice, slit green chilies, chopped cilantro and mint. Add the chicken pieces and mix thoroughly so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 3–4 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Rinse and soak rice

Rinse basmati rice under cold water until runoff is clear to remove surface starch. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.

Parboil rice

Bring 8 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil (optional). Drain the soaked rice and add to the boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is about 70% cooked (grains still have a slight bite) — usually 6–8 minutes depending on rice age. Drain the rice in a sieve and set aside.

Bloom saffron

Warm 3 tbs milk and add saffron threads. Let steep for 10 minutes to release color and aroma.

Cook onions

Heat 2 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter in a heavy-bottomed wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized (15–20 minutes). Remove two-thirds of the onions and reserve for layering and garnish; leave remaining onions in the pot.

Temper whole spices

To the remaining onions in the pot, add the remaining 2 tbs oil, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, mace, peppercorns and star anise. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Cook tomatoes and marinated chicken

Add chopped tomato (if using) and cook until softened (3–4 minutes). Add the marinated chicken along with all its marinade. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned on the outside, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes until chicken is nearly cooked through and the oil begins to separate. Taste and adjust salt.

Add biryani masala

Sprinkle biryani masala powder over the chicken and mix gently to coat. Turn off the heat under the chicken layer.

Layer rice and chicken

Evenly spread half of the parboiled rice over the cooked chicken in the pot. Sprinkle half of the reserved fried onions, half the chopped cilantro and half the mint. Add the remaining rice to form a top layer. Drizzle the saffron-infused milk over the rice in an even pattern. Dot the remaining 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs ghee over the rice if using. Sprinkle remaining fried onions, cilantro and mint on top.

Seal and cook on dum

Seal the pot with a tight-fitting lid. For an extra-tight seal, cover the lid edge with a layer of aluminum foil or a damp kitchen towel before placing the lid. Cook on very low heat for 20–25 minutes to allow flavors to meld and rice to finish steaming (dum). Alternatively, place the sealed pot on a preheated heavy skillet or griddle over low heat to prevent direct high heat under the pot for 20–25 minutes.

Rest and fluff

Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, sealed, for 10 minutes. Remove lid, gently fluff the rice with a fork from the edges to bring up the chicken without breaking grains. Serve hot with raita, salad or pickles.