Indian chicken biryani is pure magic. It’s the ultimate party food, and there’s a reason everyone loves it—it’s just incredibly delicious.
If you’ve ever made biryani, you know exactly what I mean. The moment you open the pot, the aromas hit you, and you take that first bite—you instantly realize you’ve created something extraordinary.
Traditional biryani is a labor of love. It takes real effort. But it’s so worth it. The time and work pay off. However, it’s no easy feat.
The toughest part is the rice. Biryani calls for rice that’s about 70 percent cooked. Then, you add raw chicken, mix it in, and finish cooking the rice, hoping the chicken cooks through. It’s not a small task. But it’s doable.
There’s a simpler way though—restaurant style. In restaurants, they don’t prepare biryani in large batches and hope you order it. They make it fresh to order, just like everything else in an Indian kitchen. Here’s how they do it.
INGREDIENTS
The Rice:
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup chicken stock (low or no sodium, avoid bouillon cubes)
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 2-inch cinnamon stick (cassia)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Biryani Spice Mix:
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp kasoor methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tsp amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
The Chicken:
- 5 tbsp neutral oil (e.g., canola)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3-4 pieces per thigh
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste
- Biryani spice mix (from above)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste, diluted with 4 tbsp water
For Assembling:
- The seasoned rice (from above)
- The cooked chicken mixture (with all the sauce)
- 1 tbsp fried shallots (plus more to garnish, see notes)
- A few strands of saffron, diluted in a couple of tablespoons of warm water
- Cilantro and fried shallots for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Step 2: Make the Rice
- Rice Cooker Method: If you have a rice cooker, simply combine the rice, water, chicken stock, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, and salt. Follow your rice cooker’s instructions to cook the rice.
- Stovetop Method: In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the water, chicken stock, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, salt, and rice. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for an additional 5 minutes. Uncover, remove the whole spices, fluff the rice, and cover again to keep warm.
Step 3: Prepare the Chicken
- In a small bowl, mix together all the spices for the biryani spice mix.
- Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they start to brown, then add cumin seeds and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the garlic-ginger paste and cook until it stops sputtering.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the biryani spice mix and salt, and cook for about 30 seconds, ensuring the oil combines with the spices. If the spices start sticking, lower the heat and add more oil.
- Stir in the diluted tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring regularly, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 150°F (it will finish cooking in the final assembly).
Step 4: Assemble the Chicken Biryani
- Use a pot with a 9-10 inch diameter and a tight-fitting lid. Add a little more than half of the cooked rice to the pot, spreading it out evenly.
- Top with the cooked chicken mixture, then add the remaining rice. Garnish with fried shallots and drizzle with saffron water.
- Cover the pot with aluminum foil, then place the lid on top to seal. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Rest the Biryani
After 15 minutes, remove the biryani from the oven and let it rest on the stove for 10 minutes.
Step 6: Serve
Carefully transfer the biryani to a platter. Garnish with extra fried shallots and cilantro. Dig in and enjoy!
NOTES
Fried Shallots: You can buy fried onions, but homemade fried shallots add a deeper flavor and texture. To make them:
- Thinly slice shallots.
- Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add a handful of shallots at a time (to avoid overcrowding).
- Fry until they’re slightly lighter than you want them to be, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. They will continue to darken as they cool.
- Store fried shallots in a container for up to two weeks. They make a great addition to curries, soups, or any dish that benefits from a bit of crunch and onion flavor.
Quick Restaurant-Style Chicken Biryani: For a faster version of the dish:
- Pre-cook the chicken and rice ahead of time.
- When assembling the biryani, you won’t need to cook the chicken further; just warm it through.
- Warm the cold rice in a frying pan with a bit of ghee before assembling.
- Bake the biryani for only about 10 minutes, skipping or reducing the resting time. While this method is faster, it lacks the depth of flavor from the traditional slow-cooked version.
