Chicken Biryani
A fragrant one-pot chicken biryani with marinated chicken thighs, basmati rice, caramelized onions, and whole aromatic spices layered with saffron and fresh herbs. This iconic Indian dish is a complete meal prep on its own and freezes exceptionally well. Chicken breast works too, but boneless chicken thighs stay juicier and far more flavorful in the biryani — look for boneless, skinless thighs at the butcher.
Nutrition per 100g
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Ingredients
- 1000 g chicken thighs
- 500 g basmati rice
- 400 g onion
- 300 g greek yogurt
- 300 g tomatoes
- 600 g water
- 30 g clarified butter
- 30 g garlic
- 30 g ginger
- 20 g cilantro
- 10 g mint
- 10 g garam masala
- 5 g cumin
- 5 g coriander
- 5 g turmeric
- 5 g chili powder
- 5 g cardamom
- 5 g cinnamon
- 3 g cloves
- 2 g bay leaves
- 1 g saffron
- 15 g salt
- 5 g pepper
Mise en Place
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Cut the chicken thighs into large bite-sized pieces
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Slice the onions thinly
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Dice the tomatoes
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Mince the garlic and grate the ginger
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Roughly chop the cilantro and mint
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Soak the saffron in 30 g of warm water for 10 minutes
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Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then soak in cold water for 20 minutes and drain
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Marinate the chicken with the yogurt, half of the ginger-garlic, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and half the salt for at least 30 minutes
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You will need a pot large enough for the food.
Instructions
Heat the clarified butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden brown and crisp. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for layering.
Add the remaining ginger and garlic to the pot. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the whole spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves. Toast for 30 seconds.
Add the diced tomatoes, coriander, and remaining salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down.
Add the marinated chicken with all its yogurt marinade. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is half-cooked.
Add the drained rice on top of the chicken. Pour in the water gently over the back of a spoon so the layers stay separate. Add half the chopped cilantro and mint and the saffron water with its threads.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
Remove from heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork, mixing the chicken up from the bottom.
Garnish with the reserved fried onions and remaining cilantro and mint.
Freezing Instructions
Let the biryani cool completely. Divide into portion-sized freezer bags. Use vacuumer to remove the air and seal. Label with date and contents.
Thawing Instructions
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in microwave. Reheat in a pan or 4 min at 600 Watt in microwave until hot throughout.