Description
Learn how to make an easy White Biryani with this step-by-step recipe. This fragrant and flavorful rice dish is sure to become a weeknight family favorite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the chicken
- 6–8 chicken thighs, chopped
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp. ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp. chili paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp. garam masala
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
For the rice
- 2 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp. anise seeds
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Marinating the chicken: In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped chicken thighs, Greek yogurt, garlic, ginger, chilli paste, garam masala powder, salt and pepper. Mix together well, cover and refrigerate 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 until golden brown (depending on the size of your pan, you’ll likely need to do this in batches). Set aside.
- Add the chopped onion to the hot pan and cook until brown. Return the chicken to the pan, mix well.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spices and the rice, cook for 7-10 minutes. Remove the spice bag, and drain the rice.
- Layering the biryani: Begin by adding a layer of rice, followed by the chicken, followed by another layer of rice. Mix gently, and garnish with fresh mint leaves, cilantro, and lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use the instructions on your rice package to determine how much water to boil it in. As a general rule, I like to have enough water so that there’s at least an inch of space between the rice and the water’s surface.
- Ideally, the spices should be nicely wrapped in a muslin spice bag (a “potli”). This way you get the flavor of the spices, without the hassle.
- For the sake of visibility, I haven’t completed the layering of the white chicken biryani in the photos. When you serve, make sure to layer properly so that all the flavors and nicely mixed in! (Don’t worry if you can’t be bothered to layer properly, it’ll still taste good.)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marination: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
