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How to make Chicken Biryani | Best Chicken Biryani Recipe

Wondering how to make Chicken Biryani at home? With this best chicken biryani recipe, you get the perfect fluffy and fragrant authentic Indian restaurant-style chicken rice! 

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword best chicken biryani recipe, how to make biryani, one pot chicken biryani
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Soaking rice 20 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Servings 3
Author Kiki Johnson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice 1 cup = 200 g
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 thumb big piece ginger
  • 1 green chile
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 4 cardamom pods green
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 10 cashew nuts
  • 1/4 cups coconut flakes 30 g
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsps coconut oil
  • 1 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 onion
  • 2 big chicken breasts or thighs about 300 g, boneless and skinless (2 breasts)
  • 2 tbsps ghee
  • 1 laurel leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 cup raisins I used golden
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 450 ml chicken broth 1,9 cups
  • salt

Instructions

  1. Basmati rice often has some fine starch powder on it. So, rinse the basmati rice 4 to 5 times in plenty of water until it runs clear. Drain the rice and soak for 20 minutes.
  2. Peel garlic and ginger and mince. Halve the chili and remove seeds. Chop the coriander and put some aside for decoration.
  3. Heat a small pan on medium heat and toast the cumin, coriander, cloves and 2 cardamom seeds for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the pan and grind in your spice mill.
  4. Add ground spices, garlic, ginger, chili, chopped cilantro, tomato paste, nuts, garam masala, 2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp coconut sugar to a food processor and pulse everything to a spice paste.
  5. Add a splash of water or some more coconut oil, if needed.
  6. Peel and slice the onion. Chop chicken into cubes or strips.
  7. Drain the rice very well in a sieve.
  8. Heat 2 tbsp ghee over medium heat and fry onion with laurel, cinnamon stick and remaining cardamom pods for about 10 minutes.
  9. Add turmeric, meat and the homemade spice paste and let everything saute for 3 minutes, stirring once in a while.
  10. Add rice along with raisins, cranberries, and broth. Turn up the heat and let everything heat up for 45 seconds. Put on the lid and reduce heat to medium and let cook for 10 minutes until liquid evaporates. Should the liquid evaporate too quickly, add a splash of water or broth and stir.
  11. Lift the lid and stir quickly, then cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel before putting the lid on again firmly. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and let the biryani cook another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the biryani rest for 10 minutes. Now, all the liquid should be completely gone.
  12. Fluff up biryani with a fork and serve with chopped cilantro.

Recipe Notes

  • Garam Masala is an Indian spice mix that you'll find it in the spices aisle at everyday supermarkets.
  •  For this recipe use fresh whole spices, not ground ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years!
  • Basmati rice can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. 
  • Ghee is clarified butter, and you can make your own using this recipe. Otherwise, you'll find ghee in the Indian/Asian section of your grocery store.
  • Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice like goat, lamb, beef, rabbit– or try a vegetable biryani!
  • Leftover chicken biryani keeps well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat it in the microwave. As the rice will not be quite as moist with leftovers, I recommend you serve it with homemade raita.