Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
A deeply satisfying one-pot dish, @vijayaselvaraju shares her Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani layering tender chicken and aromatic Tilda® Basmati rice for comfort food at its best!
Courtesy of Vijaya Selvaraju, author of Indian Food is Easy
- 61 - 90 Minutes
- Medium
- Serves 4-6
Method
Ingredients
Ingredients
- For the Chicken:
- 3lb (1.4 kg) mixed chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, bone-in breast cut into 3 pieces)
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
- 4 Thai green chilis, minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- Kosher salt
- For the Fried Onions:
- 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- Canola oil, for frying
- For the Rice:
- 2 cups Tilda® Pure Basmati Rice
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- For Layering:
- Pinch saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 Tbsp boiling water
- 2 Tbsp ghee
- ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
How to make Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
-
To make the chicken, in a large bowl, add the chicken, yogurt, garlic, ginger, chilis, fresh coriander, mint, lemon juice, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, and salt to taste. Mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour to overnight.
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To make the fried onions, place the onions in a medium bowl, sprinkle the flour overtop, and mix well to coat. Heat 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Cook the onions in batches to not overcrowd the pan for 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy and deeply browned. Drain onto a paper towel–lined plate.
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To make the rice, place the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Gently massage the grains until the water turns cloudy. Drain the water and repeat the process until the water runs clear. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain in a colander.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F.
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To cook the rice, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the salt, bay leaf, cloves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pod, star anise, cumin seeds, and cinnamon. Add the drained rice and stir. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat, then drain in a colander. For this recipe, the rice should be partially cooked after it boils for 5 minutes.
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To assemble, add the marinated chicken to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and spread into 1 even layer. Sprinkle in the fried onions, and top with the cooked rice. Spread the rice into 1 even layer. Drizzle the soaked saffron threads and their water over the rice, and then drizzle in the ghee. Lastly, sprinkle the fresh coriander and mint on top. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and a lid. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
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Remove the lid and foil. The rice should look plump and elongated with all the liquid having been absorbed into the grains. Gently fold the rice into the chicken 2 or 3 times. There should be portions of rice that remain white, and portions that have been colored by chicken and saffron.
Tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
