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Easy Chicken Biryani combines tender marinated chicken with caramelized onions and aromatic rice. This simple biryani recipe is loaded with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and herbs like mint and cilantro. It has all the flavor of an authentic Indian dish and is made in about an hour.
Homemade chicken biryani is every bit as tasty as a meal you can order at your favorite Indian restaurant. The simple biryani recipe starts with chicken marinated in a yogurt and spice mixture. The cooked chicken is layered with brown onions and aromatic rice simmered with flavorful saffron milk. Traditional flavor meets simplicity with this easy chicken biryani rice recipe made at home.
If you love curry dishes, try my Red Thai Vegan Curry, Thai Red Curry Chicken, or Easy Grilled Chicken Satay.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chicken Biryani Rice
- It’s ready in a hurry. Traditional chicken biryani can be labor intensive, but this simple stove-top method is prepared in about an hour.
- It’s budget-friendly. Rice and chicken are budget meal staples.
- It’s flavorful. Simple ingredients are combined with an array of herbs and spices for an exotic, flavorful meal.
Chicken Biryani Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken thighs are flavorful and juicy. Substitute chicken breast if desired.
- Yogurt: use plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt.
- Oil: select your favorite light, neutral-flavored oil.
- Aromatics: add ginger and garlic paste or freshly minced garlic and ginger.
- Dry Seasonings: add red chili powder or paprika, garam masala, salt and turmeric powder
- Fresh Herbs: Add chopped mint and chopped cilantro
For brown onions
- Onion: slice a large yellow onion
- Oil: use any light, neutral oil, such as olive oil.
For Saffron milk
- Saffron Strands: fresh saffron strands are available in the spice aisle.
- Milk: use whole or 2 percent milk that’s been warmed.
For rice
- Water: Substitute chicken broth for more flavor.
- Seasonings: use salt, whole cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and star anise.
- Rice: rinse basmati rice in a colander.
- Herbs: use chopped mint leaves and cilantro
- Ghee: or use clarified butter
How To Make Easy Chicken Biryani
- Marinate the chicken. In a large Dutch oven, add the ingredients to the marinade; chicken thigh pieces, yogurt, oil, ginger & garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric powder, mint, and cilantro. Mix until well combined. Allow the chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the brown onions. Meanwhile, prepare the brown onions. Heat a skillet with oil on medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced onions and saute for 7-10 minutes until the onions are browned. Set it aside.
- Prepare the saffron milk. In a small bowl, soak the saffron in warm milk and set it aside.
- Cook the chicken. Start cooking the marinated chicken in the same dutch oven for 7-10 minutes.
- Cook the rice. Meanwhile, start cooking the rice; boil the salted water along with the cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, and star anise. Add the basmati rice and cook until the rice is 70% cooked. Once done, drain the water.
- Make the biryani. Start layering for biryani; Add a layer of browned onions over the cooked chicken, followed by chopped mint and cilantro. Spread the cooked rice in an even layer. Add the ghee and saffron milk on top of the rice. Close the dutch oven with a lid and cook on low heat for 15-10 minutes.
- Serve. Once done, allow the biryani to rest for 10 minutes. Serve the chicken biryani with raita on the side to enjoy.
Tips To Make Simple Biryani Recipe
- Dry the chicken well with paper towels before marinating to avoid excess liquids.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- You can use other cuts of chicken or substitute the chicken with beef or seafood.
- This recipe calls for many different herbs and spices, so it can be helpful to lay out all the ingredients in advance.
- Keep the temperature on the onions low to medium to prevent them from browning too quickly.
- Drain the cooked rice well before adding it to the dutch oven.
- Layer the ingredients as directed.
- Remove whole spices before serving.
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Biryani is a traditional Indian rice dish that combines tender marinated chicken with caramelized onions and aromatic rice.
Basmati rice is the preferred and most authentic rice for making biryani. It is fluffy and aromatic. If basmati rice is not available, you can substitute Jasmine rice.
Biryani is often made with boneless chicken thighs. Thighs are flavorful and juicy, but you can substitute your favorite chicken cut. You can use chicken breasts and even drumsticks.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
You can freeze homemade chicken biryani for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before heating.
Serve biryani with cucumber Raita, Parmesan Roasted Glazed Carrots, Roasted Garlic Butter Mushrooms, Air Fryer Blooming Onion or your favorite vegetables.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken Thighs
- Tuscan Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Harissa Chicken Thighs
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious simple biryani recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Easy Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup yogurt
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger & garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder or paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
For Brown onions
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoon oil
For saffron milk
- ½ teaspoon saffron strands
- 2 tablespoons warm milk
For rice
- 5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 5 cloves
- 3 whole cardamom pods
- 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 whole star anise
- 1½ cups basmati rice, washed and cleaned
- ½ cup mint leaves, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, add the ingredients to the marinade; chicken thigh pieces, yogurt, oil, ginger & garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric powder, mint, and cilantro. Mix until well combined. Allow the chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the brown onions. Heat a skillet with oil on medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced onions and saute for 7-10 minutes until the onions are browned. Set it aside.
- In a small bowl, soak the saffron in warm milk and set it aside.
- Start cooking the marinated chicken in the same dutch oven for 7-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start cooking the rice; boil the salted water along with the cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, and star anise. Add the basmati rice and cook until the rice is 70% cooked. Once done, drain the water.
- Start layering for biryani; Add a layer of browned onions over the cooked chicken, followed by chopped mint and cilantro. Spread the cooked rice in an even layer.
- Add the ghee and saffron milk on top of the rice. Close the dutch oven with a lid and cook on low heat for 15-10 minutes.
- Once done, allow the biryani to rest for 10 minutes. Serve the chicken biryani with raita on the side to enjoy.
Notes
- Dry the chicken well with paper towels before marinating to avoid excess liquids.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- You can use other cuts of chicken or substitute the chicken with beef or seafood.
- This recipe calls for many different herbs and spices, so it can be helpful to lay out all the ingredients in advance.
- Keep the temperature on the onions low to medium to prevent them from browning too quickly.
- Drain the cooked rice well before adding it to the dutch oven.
- Layer the ingredients as directed.
- Remove whole spices before serving.
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
