Name: Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 kg chicken breasts (skin removed and deboned); 2 onions (finely chopped); 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped); 2 cm piece fresh ginger (grated); 2 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp ground turmeric; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg and ground cloves; 2 tbsp hot garam masala; 2 bay leaves; 1 tin chopped tomatoes; 1 tsp sugar; 2 cups chicken stock; salt to taste; 2 cups Jasmine/ Basmati rice; 4 cups chicken stock/water; 2 large potatoes (peeled and cubed); 2 onions (thinly slices); oil for frying; ½ cup butter; ½ tsp turmeric; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup chicken stock (for assembly); 1 cup Buttermilk; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 ½ tsp Ground Coriander; ½ tsp Turmeric; ½ tsp Chilli powder; 1 tbsp lemon juice

Chicken Biryani

By Alida Ryder

Posted April 5, 2019

In Chicken, Curry, Dinner/Supper

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Fragrant Chicken Biryani with buttermilk sauce is a delicious Indian dish. Packed with aromatic spices, fluffy rice and juicy chicken, it’s a showstopper!

During Winter, curry, in any shape or form is on our menu at least twice a week, but during the hotter Summer months when a blow-your-head-off curry just seems too unbearable to handle, I still need my spicy fix, so I often revert to biryani. I have an intense love of anything lamb but chicken is a close second. Not only is it cheaper but it also requires less cooking time which means the biryani gets to be eaten sooner.

Even though the best curries are made with a variety of aromatic spices, if you don’t have all the spices in your pantry you can easily use a good quality curry paste and curry powder/garam masala.

And under no circumstances are you allowed to serve this without the Buttermilk Raita. It compliments the Biryani perfectly and without it, it just elevates it to new levels of awesome. The crispy potatoes are another fantastic addition and one that an Indian friend of mine told me about. Her mom always adds a layer of crispy fried potatoes to the top of her biryani. ??? Yes please!

How to make chicken biryani

Biryani can seem complicated as there are so many steps before you get to the final dish but they are all so worth it. Start by making a simple chicken curry. Fry the chicken until golden brown then remove from the pan. Add all the aromatics and fry until fragrant then add the chicken back in. Pour in the tomatoes and stock and allow to simmer until the chicken is cooked.

To speed things up, I cook the rice in chicken stock until almost completely cooked as then it the biryani needs less time in the oven. Fry the potatoes until crisp and do the same with the onions and then it’s assembly time.

Layer the rice with the chicken curry and spoon over spiced butter in between. Top with the crisp potatoes and onions then cover and bake until golden brown on top. Serve with the buttermilk raita and fresh coriander/cilantro.

What kind of rice is used in biryani?

You can use any long grain rice for biryani but Basmati rice is traditionally used. I love using Jasmine rice as well as the rice adds such fragrance to the finished dish.

Is garam masala and curry powder the same?

Although both are spice blends, Garam Masala is often more flavorful and packs a larger punch than curry powder. Curry powder is most often based on turmeric where as Garam Masala is not. Garam Masala also varies from region to region and often contains sweeter spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. If you can’t find Garam Masala, try to use a really good quality spice blend/curry powder.

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Chicken Biryani

Fragrant Chicken Biryani with buttermilk sauce is a delicious Indian dish. Packed with aromatic spices, fluffy rice and juicy chicken, it's a showstopper!

Course Chicken, Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Biryani recipe, Chicken biryani, Curry recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings

Calories 402kcal

Author Alida Ryder

Ingredients

2 kg chicken breasts skin removed and deboned
2 onions finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 cm piece fresh ginger grated
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg and ground cloves
2 tbsp hot garam masala
2 bay leaves
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
2 cups chicken stock
salt to taste

Rice

2 cups Jasmine/ Basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock/water

For the crispy potatoes and onions

2 large potatoes peeled and cubed
2 onions thinly slices
oil for frying

For the spiced butter

½ cup butter
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

For assembly

1 cup chicken stock for assembly

For the Buttermilk Raita

1 cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 ½ tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Chilli powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Salt

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C (338°F).
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pot.
Cut the chicken breasts into large chunks and fry in the oil until they start to brown. Remove and set aside.
Fry the onions, garlic and ginger for 2 minutes before adding the curry paste and spices. Allow to fry for another minute and add the chicken back into the pot.
Stir to coat the chicken in all the spices and add the tomatoes, sugar and chicken stock.
Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a large frying pan and fry the potatoes until golden and crisp. Season with salt and set aside.
Fry the onions in the same oil until crisp and golden and then drain and set aside.
To make the spiced butter, melt the butter, turmeric and salt together.
To assemble the dish, layer a ½ of the rice at the bottom of a greased oven-proof dish. Drizzle with half of the spiced butter. Next, cover the rice with the chicken curry. Follow with the rest of the rice and the remaining butter. Finally, cover the rice with the fried potatoes and onions (reserve some onions for serving). Pour over the chicken stock and cover with foil (or a lid if your oven-dish has one).
Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
To make the raita, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Serve the Biryani with the Buttermilk Raita and fresh Coriander/cilantro.

Nutrition

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Basmati Rice, Biryani, Breyani, Chicken, Chicken Biryani, Chicken Breyani, Chicken Curry, chicken curry recipe, Curry, curry recipe, how to make biryani, how to make curry, Indian food, Jasmine Rice, Rice

Alida Ryder

Being a general food freak has proven to be quite helpful in this career I've found myself in. Author of two cookbooks, photographer, food stylist. Mom to twins. Ex make-up and hair artist obsessed with beautiful clothes and spaces. I love a good G&T and I've been known to spend too much money on shoes.

Chicken Biryani

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How to make chicken biryani

What kind of rice is used in biryani?

Is garam masala and curry powder the same?

Love Indian food? Try these recipe: