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Biryani with chicken

Chicken Biryani

A fragrant, spicy Indian classic — absolutely delicious. Give it a try! This Indian rice dish comes out wonderfully flavorful and rich with spice.

When I first set out to make it, I was a little wary of some of the less familiar ingredients: almonds, ginger, raisins, cinnamon. I couldn't picture how they'd all work together. But the result went beyond my expectations, and my worries were for nothing — all these flavors get along beautifully.

My husband, a real pilaf expert (Tajik and Uzbek styles), teased me: "Well, now there's someone to make the rice if I'm ever too lazy…" ("Ha," I thought — not a chance! I'd never turn down his pilaf.) Then, without the teasing, he added: "It came out really well and tasty!" And I believe him.

Try this interesting dish yourself and share your thoughts in the comments.

Sweet Tooth's Mom

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Rice

Onion

Tomatoes

Garlic

Ginger (fresh root)

Cinnamon stick (optional)

Raisins (small)

Almonds (or more)

Chickpeas (optional)

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Butter (for frying)

Cumin

Ground cinnamon

Turmeric

1.5

Paprika

Cardamom (4–6 pods)

Curry powder

Salt (1 tbsp)

Chicken

Plain yogurt (plain: no additives or sugar)

Ground cinnamon (2 pinches)

Cumin (2 pinches)

Ground coriander (2 pinches)

Turmeric

1.5

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 24 % 11 g

Fats 27 % 12 g

Carbohydrates 49 % 22 g

243 kcal

GI: 35 / 65 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Prep your ingredients. Wash and trim the vegetables, herbs, raisins, and chicken. Fresh tomatoes are great, but they're out of season here, so I used frozen.
Step 2:

The evening before, put the chicken pieces in a deep container and toss them thoroughly with the chicken spices.
Step 3:

Add the yogurt to the chicken and mix. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Step 4:

If you're making the biryani with chickpeas, rinse them well and soak overnight the day before. The next day, boil them in plenty of water until tender, about an hour.
Step 5:

Two or three hours before cooking, rinse the rice well until the water runs clear, then let it dry. Basmati is traditional for biryani, but any long-grain rice works — the flavor won't change much, only the look (though true purists might argue).
Step 6:

Take the yogurt-marinated chicken out of the fridge. Fry it — whole pieces or chopped small — in a skillet until golden brown.
Step 7:

Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the almonds and let them sit for 10 minutes.
Step 8:

The skins will slip right off.
Step 9:

Slice the onion into half-moons; grate or very finely mince the garlic and ginger.
Step 10:

Add the chickpeas (if using) to the nearly-done chicken and fry for another minute.
Step 11:

In a separate pan, fry the onion in vegetable oil until translucent. Add all the spices: ground coriander, cinnamon (a stick if you have one, plus the powder), cumin, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, grated ginger and garlic, salt, and the diced tomato. Simmer 1–2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set this mixture aside. Fill a kettle with water and bring it to a boil.
Step 12:

As the kettle comes to a boil, melt the butter and fry the almonds until lightly golden, then add the rice and raisins, turmeric, curry, and salt. Fry it all well for about 2 more minutes.
Step 13:

Pour in the boiling water and cook the rice until half-done, about 10 minutes. Use a 1:1 ratio — 2 cups water for 2 cups rice — since you want it undercooked at this stage.
Step 14:

Now, in a deep, wide skillet (a Dutch oven or wok also works), layer in the smaller portion of the half-cooked rice first, then the spiced vegetable mixture on top.
Step 15:

Then add the chicken, chickpeas, and the rest of the rice.
Step 16:

Add 1 more cup of boiling water and cook until done (the water will evaporate and the rice will turn soft). Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Step 17:

Stir in some chopped parsley, mix well, and serve. Enjoy!