Weeknight Chicken Biryani
Warm and comforting, spiced yet creamy, and easy enough to pull together for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled off the bones
- 1 ¼ cups plain yogurt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole bulb garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp cumin
Rice
- 3 cups Basmati Rice
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 star anise pod
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Other
- 2 onions sliced
- 1 tsp saffron
- 1 stick salted butter
- extra yogurt for topping
- cilantro for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Mix all the spices for the chicken with the yogurt, water, and olive oil. Combine with the rotisserie chicken pieces and allow to marinate while you prepare the rice.
- Place the rice in a pot with 4 1/2 cups water, the salt, ground cloves, anise pod, ground cardamom, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
- When a simmer is reached, turn the heat to medium low and cook the rice for 12 minutes (it should be just underdone). Remove the anise pod and bay leaves.
- While the rice is cooking, fry the sliced onions in olive oil until just slightly charred and crisp, about 7 minutes.
- Place the chicken, sauce and all, into a pot, and sprinkle half the fried onions on top. Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Steep the saffron in 3 tbsp warm water, and melt the stick of butter.
- Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes, then layer the rice over the chicken and press to cover.
- Drizzle the saffron water over the rice, then drizzle the melted butter over the rice. Cover, and allow to simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Scoop the biryani into bowls, being sure to include both rice and chicken in each scoop.
- Serve topped with the rest of the fried onions, a spoonful of yogurt, and cilantro if you prefer.