Chicken Biryani, the word itself says everything about this dish. Chicken Biryani is a very versatile dish and makes a complete meal in itself, it can be cooked with many different but similar recipes of mixing a chicken curry, spices, caramelized onions and flavors, later combining it with semi-cooked basmati rice separately and then serving it with raita-bundi and papad. I believe, there’s hardly any people out there who does not like to have chicken biryani and we are definitely not one of them, are we, peeps? With its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. This dish is considered to be very popular especially in India.
In this simple and easy home recipe, the Chicken Biryani is cooked with layers of (basmati)rice, chicken curry/masala, spices and aromatic flavors that are layered and cooked together to give your tummy a joy ride to food heaven. Best served with dahi boondi raita and papad, this can be the best dish that can be served on such lazy Sunday mornings for lunch or dinner, or for any guests visiting your house.
Firstly, the chicken is marinated and cooked in a different style recipe with spices and masalas and then it is layered with caramelized onions, colored basmati rice, plain basmati rice, saffron honey milk and cilantro. The main reason of layering the chicken with the rice is that the bottom layer of rice absorbs all the chicken juices and the honey-kesar milk flavor as it cooks, giving it a tender texture, rich and aromatic flavor, while the top layer of rice remains white and fluffy, it is then mixed well before serving on the plate.
Cooking time: 30-45 minutes.
Course: Indian Main Course.
Taste: Sweet and Spicy.
Ingredients:
Full Biryani Ingredients:
*tbsp- tablespoon; tsp- teaspoon*
| Items | Quantity |
| Marinated Chicken | 1 kg |
| Cinnamon | 1 inch |
| Cloves | 6-7 |
| Green Cardamom | 2 |
| Black Cardamom | 2 |
| Whole Black Pepper | 9-10 |
| Dried Kashmiri Red Chili | 1 |
| whole cumin seeds | 1 tsp |
| Bay leaf | 2 |
| Ginger Grated | 1 tsp |
| Garlic Grated | 1 tsp |
| Onions finely sliced | 3 large |
| Salt | 1 tbsp/As Per Taste |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp |
| Saffron (kesar) | 1 pinch |
| Honey | 1 tbsp |
| Red-orange color | 1 pinch |
For Chicken Marination:
| Items | Quantity |
| Bone-In Chicken pieces | 1 kg |
| Curd | 2 teacup |
| Tomato | 2 large |
| Coriander leaves | a small bunch |
| Mint leaves (pudina) | a small bunch |
| Green Chilies | 4 |
| Cashew Nuts | 10 broken pieces |
| Ginger | 2 inch |
| Garlic cloves | 6 large |
| Coriander powder | 1 tbsp |
| Cumin Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Turmeric Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Red Chili Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Biryani- Garam Masala Powder | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | 2 tbsp |
Preparation:
- Grind all the above mentioned ingredients- tomato, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves, cashew nuts, ginger and garlic in a grinder.
- In a large bowl, add curd, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, biryani-garam masala powder, salt and the grounded paste with the chicken in a bowl, mix and marinade, keep aside for half n’ hour before cooking.
- In a bowl, take 1 pinch Kesar (saffron) ,1 tbsp honey and 1/2 teacup milk, mix well and keep it aside for layering.
- Mix 1 pinch red-orange color in a bowl of basmati rice and keep it ready.
- Heat oil in a wok or a large pot, add 1 tsp salt in the oil, 2 whole finely sliced onions, fry till it turns sweet and a bit crispy golden brown over a high flame.
“This process is called caramelizing the onions used later for layering as well as for garnishing the Biryani”.
“Properly caramelizing the onions adds loads of ‘pleasant savory taste'(umami), and also lends a subtle sweetness that’s the perfect contrast to the savory and spicy chicken”.
How to Cook:
- Step 1 : Heat oil and ghee in a wok, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, whole black pepper, cloves, bay leaf and dried kashmiri red chili cook till it changes color, add ginger-garlic paste/grated in the wok, cook till it changes color and releases its aroma over a high flame.
- Step 2 : Add onions and fry till it turns translucent over a high flame.
- Step 3 : Add the marinated Chicken to the onions in the wok, add salt, sugar, mix and cook for 7-8 mins. over a high flame. Cover the pan and simmer for 5-7 minutes more.
- Step 4 : Add 3-4 tbsp of ‘caramelized onions’ (directly or paste) over chicken, mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the chicken is cooked from inside over a high flame. Once done, keep it aside.
- Step 5 : Layering –
- First/Bottom Layer : Spread the chicken at the bottom of the pot/large bowl (microwave safe)
- Second Layer : Scatter basmati rice all over the chicken .
- Third Layer : Spread cilantro, caramelized onions and colored basmati rice over the plain rice.
- Forth Layer : Spread 1 tbsp kesar-honey milk all over it in the bowl .
- Fifth Layer : Add Chicken at the top of the layer.
- Sixth Layer : Again, scatter rice and cover the chicken properly.
- Seventh/Top Layer : Add red-orange colored basmati rice at the top most layer, spread cilantro, caramelized onions and 1 tbsp kesar-honey milk again and cover.
- Step 6 : Cover the bowl and place it inside the oven and cook for 6-7 minutes. Serve it with bundi-raita and papad.
Honestly, I used to think Chicken Biryani is one of the difficult recipes one can cook but it is actually not true, cooking this recipe is in fact very simple and straight forawrd but its preparation requires time and efforts therefore, people make this dish occasionally on special events and functions.
If you liked my today’s recipe on ‘Chicken Biryani’, do like, share, comment and subscribe to my blog for many more such exclusive authentic and easy recipes at home. Stay Safe, Stay Healthy!.
Follow my Food Journey on Social Media :
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/rakhijana_
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/rakhi.jana.9/
BonGappétit
Images are subject to copyright.©
BonGappétit 