Homemade Chicken Biryani Recipe (Easy Oven Method)
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ahhhh, who doesn’t love a properly-prepared chicken biryani? Many people are intimidated by the idea of making biryanis at home but this Hyderabadi-style chicken biryani is as simple and fool-proof as can be and this recipe is designed to be successful on your very first try!
The secret is in streamlining the steps and making use of an oven. This results in an authentic-tasting chicken biryani that might get the neighbors a-knocking on your door, because who can resist such a fragrant and tantalizing dish that was once only fit for royalty?
To prepare this dish, you only need a few basic ingredients, but incorporate some smoky black cardamom and whole mace to take it to the next level! These are optional but highly recommended. If you’re extra short on time, make use of our already-made-for-you Organic Biryani Masala Powder, which is sure to become a pantry favorite!
Ingredients:
2 cups Organic Aged Himalayan Basmati Rice*
1½ lbs chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 2 of each), skinless and bone-in.
1 teaspoon Organic Biryani Masala Powder*
1 large red onion, thinly sliced (3 cups)
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons regular or cultured Organic Grass-fed Ghee*, divided
¼ teaspoon Organic Saffron* strands (soaked in 3 tablespoons of warm milk or water)
MARINADE
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
¼ teaspoon Organic Lakadong Turmeric*
1 Indian green chili or Thai green chili, slit (optional)
⅔ cup yogurt (full fat preferred, dairy-free is also okay)
1 teaspoon Organic Kashmiri Chili Powder* (or sweet paprika)
1 ½ teaspoon Organic Biryani Masala Powder*
1 ½ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt*
WHOLE SPICES FOR RICE
7 cups water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 Organic Indian Bay Leaf* (tej patta)
2-inch Organic Ceylon Cinnamon* stick
5 Organic Green Cardamom* pods
5 Organic Cloves*
8 Tellicherry Extra Bold Black Peppercorns*
1 Organic Star Anise* (biryani flower)
1 Organic Black Cardamom* (optional)
2 Organic Whole Mace* (optional)
2 teaspoons Himalyan Pink Salt*
WHOLE SPICES FOR BIRYANI
1 Organic Indian Bay Leaf* (tej patta)
2-inch Organic Ceylon Cinnamon* stick
6 Organic Cloves*
1 Organic Star Anise*
1 Organic Black Cardamom*
3 Organic Green Cardamom* pods
1 whole Organic Mace*
Garnish (optional)
Freshly chopped mint and cilantro
Instructions:
BEFORE COOKING
1. Set up your mise-en-place by lining up all your prepared ingredients in bowls. This ensures that you don’t forget any ingredient in the midst of cooking.
2. Marinate chicken. Marinating your chicken isn’t essential if you’re short on time but it’s highly recommended as this will result in a juicier and more succulent chicken. To marinate your chicken, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a mixing bowl, add chicken. Mix well and make sure that each piece is well coated with the yogurt marinade. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
3. While your chicken is marinating, rinse the basmati rice gently and carefully so that the rice grains don’t break. This is important so that your biryani results in beautifully separated grains. 4. Wash rice several times until water runs clear.
5. Soak the rice for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the rice and set aside.
FRY ONIONS
1. In a dutch oven or a large heavy bottom pot (like Le Creuset or All Clad), heat ½ cup vegetable oil on medium heat.
2. Add sliced red onion and cook until it browns a little but isn’t burnt, about 15-20 minutes. Pay close attention towards the end because the onion can burn easily then. Drain and set the fried onion aside.
PARTIALLY COOK THE BASMATI RICE
1. In a medium pot, heat 7 cups of water mixed with the whole spices for the rice water: Indian bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorns, star anise, black cardamom (optional), and whole mace (optional). Add vegetable oil and salt.
2. Taste the water. It has to be slightly salty, like ocean water. If it's not, add ½ teaspoon of salt. 3. Boil water rapidly for 5 minutes to release the beautiful aroma of the spices.
4. Then, add the drained rice and cook until it's about 50% cooked. The core of the rice needs to be uncooked. This step only takes about 3-4 minutes. Overcooking the rice will result in a mushy biryani, so pay close attention to this step.
5. Drain rice and set aside.
LAYER THE BIRYANI
1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
2. Transfer the marinated chicken in the same dutch oven or a large heavy bottom pot that you fried the onion in and spread in an even layer.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee, chopped mint, chopped cilantro, and ½ of the fried onion over chicken and mix well.
4. Spread the reserved basmati rice in an even layer over the chicken mixture. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Biryani masala powder evenly over the rice.
5. Sprinkle the rest of the fried onion, the saffron and its milk, and the remaining ghee (2 tablespoons) over the rice. You can also add some additional chopped mint and cilantro at this stage but they’re not essential.
6. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil so that the steam doesn’t escape. Add the lid on.
COOK THE BIRYANI
1. Transfer your pot in the middle rack of your pre-heated oven.
2. Bake for 30 minutes. Switch oven off. Remove the pot from the oven and let the chicken biryani rest on the stove top for another 10 minutes. Leave the aluminum foil and lid on.
3. After 10 minutes, open the lid and enjoy the beautiful chicken biryani aroma! Top with freshly chopped mint and cilantro if desired.
4. You can enjoy this dish as is, but we recommend accompanying this beautiful chicken biryani with our carrot raita recipe and our brand new Indian Garlic Pickle!
