
Spice Kitchen - Indian
Chicken Biryani
This recipe slightly deviates from a traditional biryani, in that the chicken is marinated separately before cooking. It’s a dish to take your time with. Your belly will thank you!
INGREDIENTS
Marinade
- 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-3 pieces
- 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1⁄2 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
- 300g basmati rice, partially cooked and cooled
- Salt to taste
Chicken
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 200g roughly chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 birds’ eye green chillies, sliced lengthwise 2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- Large pinch saffron
- 100ml milk
- 1⁄2 tsp garam masala
METHOD
- Marinate the chicken in Greek yoghurt, turmeric, chilli, ginger and garlic paste and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes minimum (or longer if you can).
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the green cardamom and cumin seeds, and fry until sizzling.
- Add the sliced onion and fry for 10-12 minutes over a medium flame until soft and lightly caramelised.
- Add the chopped tomatoes cook for a further 5 minutes. Then, add the coriander powder, marinated chicken and green chillies.
- Cook the chicken for 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and using the same pot, add a layer of rice at the bottom, followed by a layer of chicken and sprinkle over half the coriander and mint.
- Repeat the layering and finish by drizzling the milk mixed with the saffron and garam masala over the top. Put a tight-fitting lid on and put the pot back on the stove and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat.
- Turn the heat off and leave the biryani to rest for 20 minutes before serving.