Easy White Biryani

Easy white biryani is a simpler way to cook chicken biryani at home. This fragrant and flavorful rice dish is sure to become a weeknight family favorite.

Growing up, my mother used to make “easy white biryani” at home. She didn’t prepare it exactly like a traditional biryani recipe: it had slightly fewer spices, and came together a lot easier. Was it as indulgent as restaurant biryani? Not quite, but it was just as delicious in a lighter way.

What is white biryani

As the name suggests, white biryani (sometimes also spelled, biriyani) is simply a biryani recipe, in which the white rice remains white. Traditionally, biryanis exhibit a yellow-orange hue thanks to two reasons:

• Firstly, the addition of saffron to the cooking process. Other takes on biryani add food colouring to present even more color to the dish. 
• Secondly, the lack of any tomatoes in the recipe (which are some times added to biryani recipes). 

What is biryani

Biryani is a rice dish from in South Asia, which is believed to have its early origins in Irani pulao/pilaf. It is a dish that traditionally mixes rice with meat (chicken, beef, lamb, seafood, etc.). Vegetarian versions using peas, potatoes, and other vegetables are now available too. 

There are a few different types of biryani, with dum biryani and kacchi biryani (or pakki biryani) being the two most common. 

Kacchi biryani is the standard form of biryani where the meat and the rice are cooked separately, and then layered together to finish the dish. Dum biryani follows a different process of slow-cooking the already-layered biryani rice in an oven or sealed pot.

A third lesser known biryani is Sofiyani biryani. And while Sofiyani Biryani is also whiter than most biryani recipes, this white chicken biryani is more an easy variation of kacchi biryani than it is Sofiyani.

The difference between biryani and pulao

While both delicious, biryanis and pulaos are fundamentally different in their preparation. Typically, in biryani, the meat/chicken and rice are cooked separately, and then layered together. Meanwhile, for a pulao, everything is cooked together – it is usually a one-pot preparation.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
• Greek yogurt
• Garlic cloves, minced
• Ginger, grated
• Chili paste
• Garam masala
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil
• Onion

For the biryani rice

• Basmati rice
• Salt
• Cumin seeds
• Anise seeds
• Cardamom pods (you can use green cardamom, black cardamom, or a mix of both)
• Cinnamon stick
• Garlic cloves
• Bay leaf 

To serve: Fresh mint, cilantro, lemon wedges

How to make white biryani

Prepare the chicken

We’re starting by marinating the chicken. In a large bowl, mix the chopped chicken thighs, Greek yogurt, garlic, ginger, chilli paste, garam masala powder, salt and pepper. Stir together well, cover and let it sit for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Heat a nonstick pan over high heat and add the oil. Drain the marinated chicken pieces and cook them in batches until golden brown. Set them aside, while you add the onion to the hot pan and cook until brown as well. Return the chicken to the pan, and mix well.

Prepare the rice

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spices (ideally, have the spices nicely wrapped in a muslin spice bag) and the rice and cook for 7-10 minutes. Remove the spice bag, and drain the rice.

Layer the white biryani

White chicken biryani is a layered dish. Begin by adding a layer of rice on your serving dish, followed by the chicken, followed by another layer of rice.Mix gently, and garnish with fresh mint leaves, cilantro, and lemon wedges.

Tips

The link below is an affiliate link. This means that if you choose to purchase using it, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). These small commissions help keep Chocolates & Chai going. Thank you.

This white chicken biryani recipe is meant to be an easier approach to making biryani. As a result, there isn’t too much to worry about! However, here are some tips to make sure this recipe turns out perfectly.

What kind of rice to use

The best type of rice to use for biryani is basmati rice. Ideally, a high-quality aged basmati rice as this will be able to absorb the flavors of the biryani while also having the wonderful aromatics of basmati.

There are a few different brands you can look for: Royal Basmati, and Tilda Basmati Rice are two of my personal favorites. India Gate Basmati rice is another great option. These are usually available at major supermarkets or specialist grocery stores.

The great and glorious “potli” (spice bag)

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of biting into a cardamom pod, then a spice bag made out of muslin cloth (cheesecloth or a steel tea-infuser ball works well too) is the solution. Simply place all your spices into the muslin cloth, press the ends together and tie it closed (twine, or string is fine for this).

Cinnamon sticks may not fit in here, but they’re not usually the type of thing that people bite into by mistake. This is a perfect way to prevent an unwitting victim from getting a mouthful of green cardamom or cloves. By adding these whole spices to the potli, you still get the benefits of cooking with spices, but none of the big drawbacks (i.e. needing to remove them before serving the food, or having people bite into them)!

What kind of pot to use

For most biriyani recipes, a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven is ideal.

Serving suggestions

Authentic layering

For the sake of simplicity and visibility, I haven’t fully layered the biryani in the photos/videos of this post. However, when it comes to serving the biryani, it’s most authentic to serve in layers: rice, then chicken, then rice again. And mix.

What to serve with biryani

Biryani is a meal by itself so it doesn’t need a lot of sides. Raita is a traditional yogurt dip that’s often served alongside biryani. If you’re feeling a little creative, mucver (zucchini fritters) makes an excellent accompaniment.

Salt & spice, to taste

Everyone has different flavor preferences when it comes to biryani. It’s customary to have salt and a few green chilli peppers on the side in case your guest likes a saltier or spicier biryani.

Variation ideas

Spice up your life. The main way to add variation to this recipe is to play with the spices to create your own chicken biryani masala. You can do this by adding nutmeg, chopped green chilies, coriander powder, mace powder, a dash of lemon juice, or even a touch of ghee for richness. You can even switch out the black pepper for white pepper powder if you want! 

Chicken freedom. I’ve used chicken thighs for this recipe because I find them to be juicy, flavourful, and easy to work with. If you’re looking for something with a tad less fat, chicken breasts work fine. And for the most authentic experience (i.e. how my mummy used to make it), use bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks.

If you’re looking for bigger changes, the next step would be to swap out chicken for something like mutton.

Garnish like a pro. If you’re looking to go all out, I’d recommend adding some crispy fried onions to the garnishes.

Storage suggestions

This white chicken biryani can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. It can be frozen up to two months. 

Final thoughts

Easy white chicken biryani is a simple Indian recipe that’s easy enough to make as a weeknight dinner (just have the chicken left to marinate from the day before for best results). I’ve enjoyed it over the years, and I hope you do too. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.