Easy Pakistani Chicken Biryani
Make this amazingly easy biryani for dinner tonight that can be ready in just 1 hour of active cooking time.
Servings: 8
Calories: 830kcal
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs chicken 1 whole chicken cut into 18 pieces
- 5 medium potatoes peeled and cut into big cubes
- 1 cup oil
- 5 tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup yogurt must be sour
- 1 packet biryani masala or use homemade
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp orange food coloring
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
Ingredients for rice
- 3 cups long-grain basmati rice
- 12 cups water to boil the rice
- 3 green chilies
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 cup Cilantro
- Mint optional
Instructions
Wash and soak basmati rice
- Add rice to a bowl, rinse it several times with cold water until the water runs clear. Add more water to cover the rice and set it aside for 30 minutes.
Cook Chicken
- Peel and cut potatoes. Also chop tomatoes, cilantro, and mint.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute, then add chopped tomatoes, and cook over high heat until the tomatoes are soft and the oil comes out.
- Now add biryani masala, cumin, and coriander powder.
- Add chicken and peeled and sliced potatoes.
- Cook for 7-8 minutes on high heat while mixing often.
- Add yogurt, water, and food coloring, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes.
Boil the rice
- Meanwhile, add water to a big pot, add salt, and let it come to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the soaked rice. Add vinegar and green chilies. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes.
- Once the rice are 50% done, drain the rice using a colander. To check if the rice is ready, press one grain of rice between the thumb and pointer finger. If it breaks into two, then it's ready to drain.
- Meanwhile, your chicken is ready. It will be a little watery.
Layering the Biryani
- In an oven-safe dish or a pot, add all of the chicken, and add green chilies and mint if using any, then add all the rice on top. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
- You can also stream it on the stove top. For the first 5 minutes, let the pot sit on high heat, then lower the heat and steam for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to cover the pot with foil paper and a lid to let the steam lock in.
Check the Biryani rice is ready
- Press the rice between fingers. If it doesn't have a grain and can be smushed easily, then biryani is ready. Fluff up the rice with a straight spoon and enjoy.
Video
Notes
To boil the rice, use 4 times the water compared to the rice. For example, if you have 3 cups of rice, then use 12 cups of water.
Nutrition
Calories: 830kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1033mg | Potassium: 1058mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 909IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3mg