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Easy Chicken Biryani

5 from 1 vote
Created by Mariam Ezzeddine
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.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 servings
servings

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 2827mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 3mg
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