The biryani of a festive table: chicken in a rich whole-milk yogurt marinade, piles of deep-fried golden onions, generous ghee between the layers and a full pot of saffron basmati, sealed and steamed. Shown here as the comparison for the lighter rebuild.
Want a more filling version?Chicken biryani with cucumber raita 59- Time
- 105 min (30 prep + 75 cook)
- Servings
- 4
- Per serving
- 973 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs chicken thigh, in large chunks
- 1 cup whole-milk yogurt
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 green chili peppers, slit
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
Birista
- 4 medium onions, thinly sliced
- about 4 tbsp absorbed canola oil, from about 1 cup (250 ml) in the pan; only what the onions take up is counted
Rice
- 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- 4 green pods cardamom
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 small stick ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, for the rice water
To layer
- a good pinch saffron
- 1/4 cup whole milk, warm
- 1/4 cup ghee, melted
- a handful fresh mint
- a handful fresh cilantro
Steps
- Mix the yogurt, ginger, garlic, chillies, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, lemon juice and salt, coat the chicken and marinate at least 2 hours.
- Heat the oil in a wide pan to medium-hot and fry the onions in two batches, stirring, until deep golden and crisp, 10–12 minutes a batch. Lift out onto paper; save the flavoured oil for another dish.
- Boil the rice in plenty of salted water with the whole spices for 5–6 minutes, until two-thirds cooked, and drain.
- Steep the saffron in the warm milk. Spread the chicken and marinade in a heavy pot, cover with half the fried onions, then the rice. Top with the rest of the onions, the herbs, the saffron milk and the ghee.
- Seal with foil and the lid and cook on the lowest heat for 35 minutes, until the chicken reads 165°F; rest 10 minutes closed before serving.
Good to know
How is the frying oil counted?
Only what the onions absorb, about 60 g. The rest stays in the pan and is good for another curry.
Bone-in chicken?
It is the traditional choice and tastes deeper. Add 10 minutes to the steaming and check 165°F next to the bone.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 181
- Protein
- (19%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (40%)
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- (41%)
- 19 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 288 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 3891 kcal goes into the pot and 2121 g of ingredients comes out as about 2150 g of food: 181 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.