Chicken Biryani
By Matthew FairmanPublished on October 14, 2019
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Garnish and Sauce
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled3 tablespoons warm water1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint1 garlic clove, minced¼ teaspoon table salt¼ teaspoon pepperBiryani
6 tablespoons unsalted butter2 cups thinly sliced onion1 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking rice1 cinnamon stick2 teaspoon cumin seeds2 cups basmati rice⅓ cup dried currants2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch chunks½ teaspoon pepper1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger1 tablespoon garam masala3 garlic cloves, minced½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantroBefore You Begin
To make this dish spicier, reserve and add the jalapeño seeds to the biryani as desired. You can substitute long-grain white rice for the basmati, if you like; it will be less fluffy and will need to cook for about 12 minutes in step 3.
Instructions
- Combine saffron and water in bowl and set aside. Combine yogurt, cilantro, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in second bowl and set aside.
- Set fine-mesh strainer in medium bowl. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until dark brown, 11 to 14 minutes. Transfer onion to prepared strainer and press with spatula to squeeze out excess butter (reserve butter). Spread onion on small plate and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside onion and butter (do not wash skillet).
- Meanwhile, bring 12 cups water, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add rice and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer. Return rice to saucepan and stir in currants, reserved butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt; cover and set aside.
- Combine chicken, pepper, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt in now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in jalapeño, ginger, garam masala, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in yogurt until combined.
- Spoon rice over chicken mixture and spread into even layer. Drizzle saffron mixture evenly over rice, spiraling in from edge of skillet to center. Cover skillet, return to medium heat, and cook until heated through and steam escapes from under lid, about 5 minutes. Off heat, sprinkle biryani with reserved fried onion, mint, and cilantro. Serve with yogurt sauce.
for the garnish and sauce
for the biryani
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
One of India’s beloved celebratory dishes, chicken biryani features layers of spiced chicken, rice, and aromatics. In a traditional chicken biryani, richly spiced and perfectly fluffy saffron basmati rice, lavished with ghee and studded with dried fruit, is layered with sauced chicken, and the two are cooked together before being topped with fried onions and chopped herbs. However, it can be time-consuming to develop deep flavor by steeping whole spices and cooking the components in stages. So we simplified the dish: Instead of a Dutch oven, we used a 12‑inch nonstick skillet and chunks of boneless chicken thighs and skipped the usual lengthy marinating time. It was easy to sauté the onions, rather than deep-frying them, and then brown the chicken in the same large skillet, saving a pan. Finally, rather than partially cooking the rice in spice-infused water—which sometimes results in either under- or overcooked rice—we cooked the rice through in the microwave, flavor it with currants and saffron water, and then steamed it briefly with the chicken. With garnishes of deeply browned onions, fresh cilantro, and an easy, herby yogurt sauce, this streamlined biryani is as flavorful as more traditional versions.
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