Name: Chicken Biryani
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt; 6 clove garlic; 1 tbsp fresh ginger; 1 whole lemon; 2 tbsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp kashmiri chili powder; 2 tbsp kosher salt; 2 cup basmati rice; 2 leaf bay leaves; 1 whole cinnamon stick; 5 count green cardamom pods; 4 count whole cloves; 2 large yellow onion; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 tbsp ghee; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1 pinch saffron threads; 1 cup fresh mint; 1 cup fresh cilantro; 2 whole serrano chiles

← Recipes · Baked · Chicken Biryani

610 cal38g protein68g carbs21g fat1250mg sodium

Estimated, per serving — stays per-serving no matter how many you cook for.

From scratch110 min activeShortcut80 min active

+1 · garam masala

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Chicken Biryani

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Baked110 minComfortable cook

Serves−6+· written for 6 — change it and the ingredients follow

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Ingredients

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boneless skinless chicken thighscut into 2-inch pieces2 lb

plain whole milk yogurt1 cup

garlicgrated6 cloves

fresh gingergrated1 tbsp

lemonjuiced1 whole

garam masala2 tbsp

ground turmeric1 tsp

ground cumin2 tsp

ground coriander2 tsp

kashmiri chili powder2 tsp

kosher saltdivided, plus more for the rice water2 tbsp

basmati ricerinsed until the water runs mostly clear2 cups

bay leaves2 leaves

cinnamon stick1 whole

green cardamom pods5 count

whole cloves4 count

yellow onionthinly sliced2 large

vegetable oil4 tbsp

gheemelted3 tbsp

whole milkwarmed1/2 cups

saffron threads1 pinch

fresh mintleaves, roughly chopped1 cup

fresh cilantroroughly chopped1 cup

serrano chilesslit lengthwise2 whole

Cook it to

Chicken165°F / 74°C

USDA minimum internal temperatures. Measure at the thickest part, away from bone.

Allergies at the table? The final check is always yours. Ingredients and "may contain" warnings vary by brand — read every label, every time.

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Sides

Most sides finish faster than the main — start the quick ones last so everything lands hot.

Steps

1In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Add the chicken, toss until every piece is coated, and marinate at least 30 minutes on the counter, or up to overnight in the fridge.

2Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced onions, stirring often, for 18 to 22 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp at the edges. Scoop out half the onions onto a plate and leave the rest, with their oil, in the skillet.

3Crumble the saffron into the warm milk and let it steep while you cook the rice.

4Heat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves and 1 tablespoon salt. Add the rinsed rice and boil for 5 to 6 minutes, until the grains are about 70 percent cooked, firm in the center and tender outside. Drain in a colander.

5Pick out the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves from the drained rice and discard them.

6Scrape the marinated chicken and all its marinade into a dutch oven and spread it into an even layer. Add the slit serrano chiles and the onions and oil from the skillet. Sprinkle over a third of the mint and cilantro.

7Spoon half the rice over the chicken in an even layer. Scatter over another third of the herbs and half the reserved fried onions. Top with the remaining rice, then the last of the herbs and onions.

8Drizzle the saffron milk and the melted ghee over the top layer of rice. Cover with a sheet of foil pressed against the rim, then set the tight-fitting lid on top so the steam stays in.

9Bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice on top is tender. Rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.

10Uncover and use a wide spoon to scoop straight down through all the layers so each serving gets chicken, white rice and saffron rice. Serve with yogurt or cucumber raita if you like.