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Easy Chicken Biryani Recipe

Easy Chicken Biryani

Safiya
Chicken Biryani is adored by everyone in my family. Chicken Curry cooked in Indian spices and layered with Basmati Rice gets cooked in a method called steam locking. Easy to make yet hard to resist.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Gujarati, Indian
Servings 8
Calories 393 kcal

Equipment

Dutch Oven or a Heavy Bottom Pot

Ingredients 

For Chicken Curry

  • 4 boneless chicken breasts , cut into about 1 ½ inches small pieces
  • 2 medium tomatoes , chopped
  • ¼ cup oil or ghee
  • 1 medium onion , thinly sliced
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon biryani masala , more for spicy biryani
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala , optional
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • cup full-fat plain yogurt , preferably Indian yogurt
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped mint

For Rice

  • 2 cups basmati rice , soaked in water for 15 minutes
  • salt to taste
  • 8 to 10 cups water
  • 1 small lemon juiced
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 stick of Cinnamon , optional
  • 2 green cardamom pods , optional
  • 2 cloves , optional
  • 1 green chili , optional
  • ¼ teaspoon food coloring like red or saffron orange , optional
  • 8 to 10 threads of saffron , soaked it in about ¼ cup hot water

Instructions 

  • Bring water to a boil in a large pan and add washed Basmati Rice, whole spices, green chili, salt, and lemon juice. Cook until rice is partially cooked or Al-Dente. Take out the rice in a large colander and drain all the water. Set it aside. (detailed instructions on basmati rice recipe)
  • Cut chicken breast into about 1 ½-inch cubes. In a large bowl, combine chicken, Biryani Masala, Ginger-Garlic paste, Kashmiri chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix it well and set it aside.
  • Heat oil in the Dutch oven on medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until golden.
  • Now add the marinated chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink from outside then add tomatoes and yogurt. Cover the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until curry thickens. We are looking for saucy curry. Not too watery or not too dry.
  • Sprinkle cilantro and mint on the chicken curry. Layer the curry with parboiled Basmati rice.
  • Swirl food coloring and soaked saffron on top of the rice layer. Cover the lid and pop the Dutch oven in the oven.
  • Bake the Biryani at 365 F for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Serve it hot with chutney raita or onion yogurt raita.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 393kcal

Nutrition information is sourced from a third-party application and should be considered as approximate figures for reference purposes only.

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