Chicken Biryani
A fragrant Indian-style chicken and basmati rice biryani made in the pressure cooker, with a yogurt-marinated chicken layer and a saffron-milk finish.
⏱️ Prep: 15 min🍳 Cook: 24 min
Ingredients
| 1 1/2 cups | 360 ml | plain Greek-style yogurt |
| 1 1/2 | lemons, juiced | |
| 4 1/2 teaspoons | 23 ml | ginger-garlic paste |
| 3/4 teaspoon | 3.8 ml | red chile powder |
| to taste | salt | |
| 3 pounds | 1.4 kg | boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces |
| 6 cups | 1.4 l | basmati rice, rinsed |
| 9 cups | 2.2 l | water |
| 3/4 teaspoon | 3.8 ml | saffron threads |
| 3 tablespoons | 45 ml | milk |
| 6 tablespoons | 90 ml | ghee (clarified butter) |
| 1 1/2 cups | 360 ml | thinly sliced red onion |
| 1 1/2 cups | 360 ml | minced onion |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | 7.5 ml | black cumin seeds |
| 2 | bay leaves | |
| 2 | star anise | |
| 6 | whole green cardamom pods | |
| 6 | whole cloves | |
| 4 1/2 teaspoons | 23 ml | ginger-garlic paste |
| 1 1/2 cups | 360 ml | diced tomatoes |
| 3 | green chile peppers, sliced | |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | 7.5 ml | red chile powder, or to taste |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | 7.5 ml | turmeric powder |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | 7.5 ml | garam masala |
| to taste | salt | |
| 9 cups | 2.2 l | water |
| 4 1/2 teaspoons | 23 ml | roughly chopped fresh mint leaves |
| 4 1/2 teaspoons | 23 ml | roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves |
Instructions
READY IN: 1hr 40min. PREP TIME: 15min. COOK TIME: 24min.
- Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, 4 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste, 3/4 teaspoon red chile powder, and salt together in a bowl until marinade is well combined. Add chicken pieces and stir to coat each piece with marinade and cover. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or best overnight.
- Place rice in a bowl and top with 9 cups water.
- Sprinkle saffron into a separate bowl and top with milk.
- Set pressure cooker to Saute mode on High. Add ghee to inner steel pot; saute sliced red onion until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer sauteed onion to a paper towel-lined plate. Press Cancel.
- Set pressure cooker to Saute mode on Low for 12 minutes. Add minced onion, cumin seeds, bay leaves, star anise, cardamom pods, and cloves to inner steel pot; saute until onion is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add 4 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.
- Stir chopped tomato, green chile peppers, 1 1/2 teaspoons red chile powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt into onion mixture. Saute until tomatoes are softened and oil separates from the masala, about 5 minutes.
- Mix marinated chicken pieces with marinade into tomato mixture; saute chicken for remaining time. Press Cancel.
- Add 9 cups water to the inner steel pot.
- Lock pressure cooker lid into place and set steam vent to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (Manual) and cook on High for 5 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally.
- Transfer soaked rice to a colander and drain well.
- Pour soaked rice over chicken layer in pressure cooker and spread rice evenly. Sprinkle fried onion, chopped mint, and cilantro leaves over rice layer.
- Pour saffron milk over fried onion layer.
- Lock pressure cooker lid into place and set steam vent to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (Manual) and cook on High for 5 minutes. Allow steam to release naturally.
- Remove lid and gently mix biryani using a fork.
Mealthy Tip: Substitute 1 cup coconut milk mixed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch for the yogurt and coconut milk for the milk for a dairy-free version.