Description
Restaurant Style Chicken Biryani is a rich, flavorful, and aromatic dish that rivals your favorite restaurant biryani. With layers of marinated chicken, saffron-infused rice, and crispy fried onions, this dish brings the complexities of traditional biryani right to your kitchen.
Ingredients
For Fried Onions: ¼ cup oil or ghee, 2 cups yellow onions sliced (200 grams, 2 medium or small red onions)
For Marinate: 1.1 pounds (½ kg) chicken (skinless bone-in or boneless), ½ cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾ tablespoon ginger (grated/crushed), ¾ tablespoon garlic (pressed/grated), 1 green chili (optional), 1½ tablespoons oil or ghee, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ to ¾ tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 1¼ tablespoon biryani masala, ½ tablespoon coriander powder, ¼ tablespoon roasted cumin powder, 2 tablespoons mint leaves, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (optional)
For Cooking Rice: 6 cups water, 1½ cups basmati rice, ½ tablespoon oil, ½ tablespoon sea salt, 4 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 2-inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera, ½ mace
For Layering: 1 pinch saffron strands or natural orange food color, 2 tablespoons hot milk + 2 tablespoons hot water, 1-2 pinches biryani masala or garam masala, 1-2 tablespoons mint and coriander leaves, 1½ tablespoons melted ghee
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, green chili, oil, salt, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, biryani masala, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, mint, and coriander leaves in a bowl. Add the chicken and mix well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (room temperature) or overnight (in the refrigerator).
- Fry the Onions: Heat oil or ghee over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown, about 14 minutes. Remove the onions and reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Leave excess ghee in the pan.
- Cook the Chicken: Add marinated chicken to the pan and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add ¼ cup hot water, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes until chicken is almost done. The gravy should thicken.
- Cook the Rice: Rinse rice three times and soak for 15 minutes. In a pot, bring water, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, star anise, shahi jeera, and mace to a boil. Add oil, salt, and rice. Cook for 5 minutes until rice is 90% cooked, then drain.
- Layer the Biryani: In the pan with cooked chicken, layer the rice over the chicken. Sprinkle saffron milk, biryani masala, mint, coriander leaves, and fried onions. Drizzle melted ghee over the top.
- Steam the Biryani: Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 18-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with extra mint and coriander leaves before serving.
Notes
- Vegetarian Version: Replace chicken with vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, and peas.
- Rice Substitutes: Basmati rice is recommended, but other rice varieties can be used with adjusted cooking times.
- Less Heat: Omit the green chili or reduce the amount of Kashmiri red chili powder for a milder flavor.
- Freezing: You can freeze the biryani before cooking. Thaw and cook as directed.
- Reheating: Reheat biryani by steaming or microwaving with a damp paper towel to retain moisture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Steaming
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
