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Home Ā» Food Ā» By Country or Region Ā» Asia Ā» India Ā» Easy Chicken Biryani

Easy Chicken Biryani

March 3, 2020 by Kimberly Killebrew Ā· 49 Comments

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This delicious Chicken Biryani recipe is easy to make and is ready for the table in 30 minutes!Ā  Ā Wonderfully aromatic and flavorful, it’s sure to be a hit at your dinner table!

chicken biryani recipe easy fast Indian rice

Biryani is a super popular dish across the globe and that’s no surprise.Ā  With its heavenly aroma and its mouth-watering flavor combinations, biryani is downright delicious.Ā  Today I’m sharing a quick and easy Chicken Biryani recipe that we’re confident you’re going to love.

This chicken biryani recipe is perfect for anyone wanting to capture the flavor of a traditional biryani without having to pull out the lengthy list of spices typically needed for the job.Ā  And that’s not to say that this biryani suffers in flavor.Ā  No way.Ā  Rest assured, it’s packed with flavor and everyone from novice to experienced chef is sure to enjoy it!

Be sure to allow the chicken to marinate, which can be done up to a day ahead.Ā  The rice can likewise be cooked well in advance.Ā  Then when it comes time to cook you’ll have a hot and ready meal in less than 30 minutes.

What Kind of Rice Do I Need to Make Chicken Biryani?Ā Ā 

There are many, many different kinds of Biryani, all specific to various regions, each with their own ingredient and cooking method variations. Ā Turkey, Iran and South Asia all have their own variations and India alone has at least a dozen different versions of Biryani. Ā  But whether it’s made with chicken, mutton, fish or vegetables, and whatever other ingredients may or may not be included, every biryani has one ingredient in common:Ā  Rice.Ā  And the most commonly used rice for biryani is basmati rice.

Basmati rice is unique from other types of rice.Ā  With its attractively long and slender grains, it’s delicious flavor, wonderfully fragrant aroma (basmati is from the Sanskrit word meaning “fragrant”) and its perfect texture, basmati rice remains one of the most preferred kinds of rice among chefs worldwide.

Basmati rice is lighter and fluffier than regular rice and doesn’t stick together and it’s this latter characteristic in particular that is essential to achieving the perfect biryani.

chicken biryani recipe easy fast Indian rice

How to Properly Prepare and Cook Basmati Rice

Any sources for traditional biryani will emphasize the importance of cooking the rice just right.Ā  Ā This isn’t difficult to achieve, you just have to know how to do it.Ā  In order for biryani to have the right texture, basmati rice has to be thoroughly washed and then soaked for at least 20-30 minutes before cooking it.Ā  And then it must be parboiled, meaning it’s cooked only three-fourths of the way so that it’s still slightly “al dente”.Ā  The rest of its brief cooking time takes place with the meat.

How to Make Chicken Biryani

With the right rice in hand all you need to make chicken biryani is some chicken, yogurt, onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, raisins, almonds, chicken broth and cilantro.Ā  Ā And with those ingredients you’ll get a vibrantly flavorful and wholesome meal that your whole family will enjoy.

Let’s get started!

Combine the chicken in a bowl with the yogurt, curry powder, and cinnamon and let marinate for at least 1 hour but preferably for 4 hours.

Easy Chicken Biryani prep 3

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onions until golden, 7-8 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the chicken and all of the marinade along with the salt. Stir to combine, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked rice, cilantro and raisins.Ā  Pour the chicken stock over the mixture.Ā  Bring to simmer.Ā  Cover and simmer 3-4 minutes until the mixture is heated through.Ā  Add salt to taste.

chicken biryani recipe easy Indian fast curry raisins almonds rice basmati

Enjoy!

chicken biryani recipe easy fast Indian rice

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chicken biryani recipe easy fast Indian basmati rice curry raisins almonds

For more delicious Indian recipes be sure to try our:

  • Butter ChickenĀ (Murgh Makhani)
  • Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Mango Chutney
  • Tandoori Chicken
  • Masoor Dal
  • Indian Broccoli with Paneer
  • Egg Curry
  • Saag Gosht
  • Panch Phoron Roasted Potatoes
  • Tandoori Breaded Fried Mushrooms with Yogurt Sauce
  • Chicken Xacuti

 

chicken biryani recipe easy fast Indian rice

Easy Chicken Biryani

Kimberly Killebrew
This delicious Chicken Biryani recipe is easy to make and is ready for the table in less than 30 minutes.Ā  Ā Wonderfully aromatic and flavorful, it's sure to be a hit at your dinner table!
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Marinating Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
Course Entree, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 316 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts , cut into bite-sized pieces (or use thighs for more flavor)
  • ½ cup whole plain yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons quality curry powder
  • BEST Homemade Curry Powder (click link for recipe)
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
  • 2-3 tablespoons raisins
  • 2 cups cooked basmati rice (parboiled, i.e. only three-fourths cooked, slightly "al dente", see instructions below)
  • Chopped cilantro and sliced almonds for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Combine the chicken in a bowl with the yogurt, curry powder, and cinnamon and let marinate for at least 1 hour but preferably at least 4 hours.
  • To parboil the rice: Thoroughly rinse the rice until the water draining from it is clear and no longer milky. Soak the rice in a bowl of water for 15-30 minutes. Fill a pot with salted water. Drain the rice and add it the pot. Bring it to a boil and cook for 4-6 minutes until the tips of the rice are clear. Pour the rice into a strainer and rinse with lukewarm water. Let the rice thoroughly drain while you continue with the next steps.
  • Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onions until golden, 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken and all of the marinade along with the salt. Stir to combine, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the rice, cilantro and raisins. Pour the chicken broth over the mixture. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the rice is soft and the mixture is heated through. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 747mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg
Keyword Chicken Biryani
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

 

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49 Comments →

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49 Responses

  1. Anonymous says

    February 25, 2023 at 3:44 pm

    Love your recipes but raisins are not used in Indian biryani.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      February 25, 2023 at 7:25 pm

      Thank you for the compliment! The comment about the raisins though is not correct; it depends on the region of India. Thalassery biryani for example, from the Kerala region of India, traditionally includes raisins.

      Reply
  2. Rehana says

    August 26, 2022 at 4:51 pm

    I use any brand biryani masala but i use Saffron must because the beautiful color of biryani .

    Reply
  3. Jean Tiernan says

    June 11, 2022 at 12:43 pm

    Hi Kimberly,
    Can this recipe be made in advance and reheated. I appreciate any tips for doing that.
    Thank you,
    Jean

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      June 11, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      Hi Jean, yes it can and you can easily reheat it in the microwave.

      Reply
  4. Greg says

    April 29, 2022 at 1:34 am

    Hi Kimberly, any hints on the water to rice ratio, cooking time and technique for the basmati. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      April 30, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      Hi Greg, thanks for asking. I’ve added clarification in Step 2 of the recipe. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  5. Marsha Coelho says

    March 4, 2021 at 3:23 pm

    I made this a few weeks ago and it was so good. I froze leftovers, unsure of how they would thaw and re-heat but I needed to try! The other night I thawed the leftovers and it was still terrific, we “yummed” our way through dinner! I wanted to be sure I had the recipe handy but I could not find it and I did not remember where I had gotten the initial recipe to try…….made me nuts searching for it. Thumbing through my personal file folders, Cook’s Illustrated and Milkstreet that were on top of a pile…..no recipe. I went back to my colored file folders I keep for meals I have liked and this time through the stack in my “chicken” file I found it! And, of course, it was another winner from you! I will definitely make this soon, my husband will hound me until I do anyway! Thanks, again, love your cooking.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 23, 2021 at 8:43 am

      Thank you so much, Marsha, I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! :)

      Reply
  6. Barbara Wall says

    January 19, 2021 at 12:19 am

    I cooked this tonight (holy bat balls this is delicious) from my youngest 22yrs but I put a teaspoon of chilli powder in it as we love spicy food I have been informed by my family that I will have to cook this again Thanks

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 19, 2021 at 4:32 pm

      Thank you, Barbara, I’m so glad this was a family hit! :)

      Reply
  7. Naomi B says

    June 2, 2020 at 6:14 am

    Mid-preparation, I discovered that I was short on curry so I added some garam masala in its place. This dish was successfully received at our home. Wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 2, 2020 at 8:59 am

      Thank you, Naomi, I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, thank you!

      Reply
  8. Moriah says

    March 13, 2020 at 12:04 pm

    I always read the comments before trying new recipes, so I wanted to add mine here. Loved this recipe!! It’s a regular in our meal rotation and even my 3-year-old loves it.

    Here were my tweaks: I used less salt than called for. cooked regular basmati rice 1:1 Rice to water ratio in instant pot (4 min high pressure, 10 min natural release) then added to the skillet with a small amount of broth. Omitted raisins

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 14, 2020 at 9:55 am

      Fantastic, Moriah, I’m so glad it’s been a hit in your family, thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  9. Catalina says

    March 6, 2020 at 12:49 pm

    Now I know what I will make for dinner tonight! Looks amazing!

    Reply
  10. Toni says

    March 6, 2020 at 10:05 am

    I love everything about it. Easy, delicious, and packed full of flavors!

    Reply
  11. Erin says

    March 6, 2020 at 4:45 am

    This Chicken Biryani looks incredibly delicious!

    Reply
  12. Vikki says

    March 5, 2020 at 9:30 pm

    This is so amazing! I love how flavorful this is

    Reply
  13. Dorothy Reinhold says

    March 5, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    I love making new and exciting dishes. This seems easy to make which is always a win!

    Reply
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