Chicken Biryani — Aromatic Indian Rice with Saffron and Spices

Prep: 30 minutes + 1 hour marinating | Cook: 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Introduction

Biryani is the pearl of Indian cuisine — long, aromatic basmati rice cooked in layers with marinated meat, warm spices and saffron, over “dum” (steam) on low heat. The result is a dish of golden colour, separate grains of rice and an appetite-awakening aroma. This chicken version is the most popular in Indian homes and is easy to prepare in our kitchens too.

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 500 g basmati rice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 cardamom pods
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp salt

For the chicken and marinade:

• 800 g chicken fillet (or thighs), cut into pieces
• 250 g natural yogurt
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 piece of fresh ginger (about 3 cm), grated
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground chilli (to taste)
• 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
• Salt to taste
• 80 ml oil or melted butter (ghee)

For layering:

• 1 pinch of saffron dissolved in 4 tbsp warm milk
• Half a bunch of fresh parsley and coriander, chopped
• Crispy fried onions (for the top)

Preparation steps

1. Wash the basmati rice 2-3 times and leave it in water for 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Marinate the chicken: mix the yogurt, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, turmeric, chilli, coriander seeds and salt. Add the chicken pieces, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour (ideally 3-4 hours).
3. Parboil the rice: bring plenty of salted water to the boil, add the cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. When it boils, add the rice and cook for 5-6 minutes (it should be about 70% cooked). Drain and remove the large spices.
4. In a deep pot, fry the thinly sliced onions in oil/ghee until deep golden. Remove half for decoration.
5. In the same pot, over the remaining onions, layer half of the marinated chicken, then half of the drained rice. Repeat the layers: chicken, rice.
6. Sprinkle the saffron milk, chopped parsley and coriander, and the fried onions you set aside over the top.
7. Cover the pot with a tight lid (or foil under the lid), lower the heat to minimum and leave on “dum” for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken cooked.
8. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Mix gently from bottom to top so the layers combine.

Tip

Serve the biryani with natural yogurt or cucumber raita — the freshness of the yogurt perfectly balances the dish’s warm spices.