Chicken Biryani

Name: Chicken Biryani
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 750 g chicken thighs, skin on, bone in, halved; 150 ml plain yoghurt; 125 ml water; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 clove garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger; 0.125 tsp ground turmeric; 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp cayenne; 0.5 tsp ground cardamom; 2 tsp garam masala; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp sweet paprika; 1.75 tsp salt; 2 tbsp salt (for rice water); 10 piece cloves; 5 piece dried bay leaves; 1 piece star anise; 6 piece green cardamom pods; 450 g uncooked basmati rice; 2 piece onions, halved and finely sliced; 250 ml oil, for frying; 1 tsp saffron threads; 2 tbsp warm water; 1 cup coriander/cilantro, chopped; 60 g ghee or unsalted butter, melted; 0.5 cup crispy fried onions (to garnish); 2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro (to garnish); 0.5 cup yoghurt, to serve

Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mound of fragrant, fluffy basmati rice. A celebration of Indian spices that's well worth the effort, with everything available at everyday supermarkets.

1h 20m 8 servingsRecipeTin Eats Source

Extracted by chinwei271Extracted 30 Jun 2026

Nutrition· per serving · estimated

560

Calories

26g

Protein

52g

Carbs

27g

Fat

Scale recipe

8 servings

Original recipe

Ingredients30 items

Produce

🧄garlic cloves, minced6 clove

🫚finely grated fresh ginger2 tsp

🧅onions, halved and finely sliced2 piece

🌿coriander/cilantro, chopped1 cup

🧅crispy fried onions (to garnish)½ cup

🌿chopped coriander/cilantro (to garnish)2 tbsp

Meat

🍗chicken thighs, skin on, bone in, halved750 g

Dairy

🥛plain yoghurt150 ml

🧈ghee or unsalted butter, melted60 g

🥛yoghurt, to serve½ cup

Pantry

💧water125 ml

🛢️vegetable oil2 tbsp

🍚uncooked basmati rice450 g

🛢️oil, for frying250 ml

💧warm water2 tbsp

Spices

🟡ground turmeric0.13 tsp

🌰ground cinnamon¼ tsp

🌶️cayenne½ tsp

🫛ground cardamom½ tsp

🥄garam masala2 tsp

🌿ground coriander2 tsp

🥄ground cumin1 tbsp

🌶️sweet paprika2 tbsp

🧂salt1¾ tsp

🧂salt (for rice water)2 tbsp

🌰cloves10 piece

🍃dried bay leaves5 piece

⭐star anise1 piece

🫛green cardamom pods6 piece

🌼saffron threads1 tsp

Instructions

1
Mix the marinade (yoghurt, water, oil, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom, garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika and salt) in a large pot. Add chicken and coat well. Marinate 20 minutes to overnight.
20:00 timer
2
Bring 3 litres water to the boil, add salt and whole spices.
3
Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, until rice is just cooked but still firm in the middle. It will taste salty at this stage; that disappears later.
4:00 timer
4
Drain immediately and set aside.
5
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Don't burn or they turn bitter.
6
Remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.
7
Place in a bowl and leave for 10 minutes or more.
10:00 timer
8
Place the pot with the marinated chicken onto the stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
5:00 timer
9
Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice.
5:00 timer
10
Remove from heat.
11
Turn chicken so skin side is down; it should cover most of the base of the pot.
12
Scatter over half the fried onion then half the coriander.
13
Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten the surface.
14
Drizzle saffron (soaked in warm water) across the rice in a random pattern, then drizzle over the ghee.
15
Place lid on and return to the stove over medium heat.
16
As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes.
25:00 timer
17
Remove from stove and rest with lid on for 10 minutes.
10:00 timer
18
To serve, dig deep with a large spoon to scoop up patches of yellow rice, white rice, curry-stained rice and chicken in one scoop.
19
Turn out into a bowl or onto a platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander, with yoghurt on the side.

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CuisineIndian