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You know how making biryanis is always a hit or a miss, at least it was for me until some time ago. Then I started paying attention to the finer details like soaking time, type of rice used, cooking time, resting times and now I can produce a failsafe biryani everytime 🙂

While this seems to be a complicated process with lots of ingredients, once you start working your way through it, it will definitely seem easier. If you are cooking for guests, plan to make the chicken masala the night before. The flavours will develop even more when it rests in the fridge overnight and you only need to cook the rice and layer it on the day. So much easier and less clean up.

I use a food processor to chop the onions and you can tell by the ingredients listed that I use lot of onions. This is what gives the chicken it’s tasty thick masala which coats over the pieces rather than the dry flavourless biryanis usually served in restaurants. This trusted food processor also blends the coriander mint paste and purees the tomato. I don’t end up washing different kitchen tools. I also make my own biryani masala and use the same for garam masala as well. It is not too strong or pungent unlike the store bought ones but gives a lovely fragrance to the dishes.

When my younger one was little he found me in the kitchen slicing a kilo of onions. Worried with my tears and sniffling sounds he asked me what I was doing. I answered, “Im making biryani..”. So he runs to his older brother and announces “mummyyy is makinng onion beeeeyani” 🙈😂

My usual process to make the biryani is as follows :-

1. Wash and drain chicken
2. Marinate with marinade ingredients and set aside
3. Wash and soak the rice
4. Slice the onions in the food processor
5. Heat up the pot and add ghee, spices and fry onions
6. While onions are cooking, prep the remaining ingredients – Make the coriander, mint paste in the same blender. Puree the tomatoes as well.
7. Make the saffron milk
8. Fry the remaining 1 onion for garnishing and layering
9. Add the chicken and cook
10. Keep another pot of water to boil
11. When the chicken looks cooked, the water would have come to a boil. At this point add the rice and allow to cook.
12. Layer the chicken masala and rice and allow the biryani to cook in it’s steam
13. Use this time to clean up the kitchen countertop, put the dishes away in the dishwasher
14. I also use this time to make the garnishes – the raita, fry the pappadums etc.
15. Rather do the clean up before you eat the biryani, as once you’ve had it you’re not gonna feel like moving much or doing much 😀 😀

Chicken Biryani

Tender succulent chicken pieces coated with a thick and spicy masala paste, layered with fragrant and flavoured basmati rice. A party on your plate 🙂

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 6-8 tbsp ghee
• 6-7 strands saffron soaked in warm milk
• 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnnamon stick, 4-5 cloves, 4-5 cardamom pods, 1 tsp fennnel seeds, 1 black cardamom pod, 1 tsp shahi jeera, 2 star anise
• 600-700 gms red onions, sliced finely
• 1 medium sized onion, sliced finely and deep fried until crisp
• 800-1000 gms chicken pieces bone in and cut into 8-12 pieces
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 2 big handfuls of coriander leaves
• 1 handful of mint leaves
• 5-6 mild or medium spicy green chillis optional
• 1 bulb garlic 10-12 cloves
• 2-3 inch ginger
• 2 tbsp red chilli powder heaped tablespoons
• 3 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp biryani masala powder description listed below
• juice of 1 lime
• salt to taste

Biryani Masala

• 1 tbsp cardamom pods and cloves
• 2 star anise and bay leaves
• 2-4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tbsp fennel powder
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 black cardamom

Instructions

 

Biryani Masala powder

• Dry roast all the spices listed on a medium flame until you can smell the aromas rising up. Powder these in a blender and store in a cool, dry, airtight container

Masala

• Marinate the chicken with tumeric, black pepper powder and 1 tbsp of vinegar and set aside
• Wash the basmati rice until the washed water appears clear and not cloudy. Let the rice soak in water for 15-20 minutes. Make sure you dont soak it for longer as the grains of rice may become mushy during the cooking process.
• In a heavy bottom pan, add the ghee and the whole spices. When it warms up add the finely sliced onions and cook until brown on a medium heat. This will take around 10-15 minutes. During this time, you can prep the remaining ingredients to save time.
  
• Coarsely blend the ginger, garlic, 2 chillis, coriander and mint leaves into a paste.
• When the onions start turning brown, add the ground mint coriander paste and cook for 2-3 minutes
  
• Meanwhile puree the tomatoes in a blender
• Add all the spice powders listed with 1 tbsp of biryani masala powder and fry for a couple of minutes
• Add the pureed tomatoes and salt and cook until oil starts leaving the sides
• Add the marinated chicken and increase the flame to medium high. stir the chicken pieces so that the masala coats all the pieces. Keep stirring until you see the chicken pieces changing color. Reduce the flame to medium low and continue stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked. Typically will take around 15-20 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to boil. Add few sliced green chillies (optional), 1 tbsp ghee. When it comes to a boil, add the soaked and drained rice.
• Add salt and taste the water, it should taste salty else add more salt until it does.
• Add the lime juice and 1 tbsp garam masala.
• Cook the rice in boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until 80% done. You can tell this by noticing when the grains of rice turn opaque and also if the grains break easily when pressed between your fingers.
• In a large and wide thick bottom pot, add the chicken masala at the bottom. Drain the rice from the water and immediately layer it over the chicken masala.
• Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, fried onions
• Drizzle 2 tbsp of melted ghee and saffron milk around the sides of the rice and in the centre
• Sprinkle with garam masala and cover the pot with foil and a tight closing lid
• Place the pot over a heated iron tawa or flat skillet and turn the flame to high for 2-3 minutes
• Reduce the flame to medium-low and continue cooking undisturbed for 15 minutes
• Switch off the flame and let the biryani rest for another 10 minutes.
• Serve with yoghurt raita, pickles and some fried pappodums

Keyword Biryani, chicken, chickenbiryani