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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 11 (from laksa172)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa011.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/","crawl_time":1775792821,"first_indexed_time":1533899847,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,recipetineats!www,\/biryani\/ s443","src_root_hash":"12701549400634406811","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Biryani - RecipeTin Eats","meta_descriptions":["Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food! The aromas, the vibrant colour, that fluffy rice. Choose from a chicken biryani, vegetable biryani or other protein of choice."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours. Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani!\nBiryani recipe\nOne of the most\nrequested recipes\nis finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right.\nSeven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns.\nAnd it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you!\nWhat is Biryani and why do I love it so much?\nEssentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath.\nSo in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it!\nAbout this Biryani\nYou’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are\n2 main types\n– one where the protein and\/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as \nHyderabad-style\nbiryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today.\nThere’s a\nwonderful Afghani restaurant\nin my area called\nSahar\n (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches.\nHow to make Biryani\nChicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander\/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice.\nThe crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness.\nThe pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy.\nThat moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight…\n…. that moment is only second to \nthis:\nwhen you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of \nevery layer, \nand the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth….\nOK wait. Did you almost lose control too?\nI’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe!\nBiryani spices\nThere’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce.\nThere’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at\neveryday supermarkets\nhere in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂\nCheeky substitute for fried onions\nThin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving.\nIf you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my\ncheeky alternative\nis using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or \nAsian Fried Shallots \n(pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch!\nThe roots of this recipe\nAnother recipe ticked off the\nRecipe Request\nlist, another RecipeTin family effort!!\nAs always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain\nStudent Biryani\nin Auburn, and the Indian restaurant \nParadise Biryani House\nin North Strathfield.\nTo learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India.\nYes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, \nit is actually quite a straightforward recipe\n. \n(Video is helpful too!)\nAnd even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!).\n– Nagi x\nWatch how to make it\nSubscribe to my\nnewsletter\nand follow along on\nFacebook\n,\nPinterest\nand\nInstagram\nfor all of the latest updates.\nServings\n8\nTap or hover to scale\nRecipe video above.\nCurried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with\nother proteins or vegetables\n– see notes. There’s a load of spices in this – and it’s worth it! (Plus you’ll find everything at every day supermarkets).\nSpiciness\n: moderate low.\n▢\n750g (1.5 lb)\nchicken thighs\n, skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1)\nMarinade:\n▢\n2\/3 cup (150 ml)\nyoghurt\n, plain\n▢\n1\/2 cup (125 ml)\nwater\n▢\n2\ntbsp\nvegetable oil\n(or other plain oil)\n▢\n6\ngarlic cloves\n, minced\n▢\n2\ntsp\nfinely grated fresh ginger\n▢\n1\/8\ntsp\nground turmeric\n▢\n1\/4\ntsp\ncinnamon\n▢\n1\/2\ntsp\ncayenne\n(adjust spiciness to taste)\n▢\n1\/2\ntsp\nground cardamom\n▢\n2\ntsp\ngaram marsala\n(Note 2)\n▢\n2\ntsp\ncoriander\n▢\n1\ntbsp\ncumin\n▢\n2\ntbsp\npaprika\n, sweet \/ ordinary (not smoked)\n▢\n1 3\/4\ntsp\nsalt\nPar Boiled Rice:\n▢\n2\ntbsp\nsalt\n▢\n10\ncloves\n▢\n5\ndried bay leaves\n▢\n1\nstar anise\n▢\n6\ngreen cardamon pods\n▢\n2 1\/4 cups (450g)\nuncooked basmati rice\n(Note 3)\nCrispy Onions (Note 4):\n▢\n2\nmedium onions (yellow, brown)\n, halved and finely sliced\n▢\n1 cup (250 ml)\noil\n, for frying\nSaffron:\n▢\n1\ntsp\nsaffron threads\n(loosely packed) (Note 5)\n▢\n2\ntbsp\nwarm water\nBiryani:\n▢\n1\ncup\ncoriander \/ cilantro\n, chopped\n▢\n1\/4 cup (60g)\nghee or unsalted butter\n, melted (Note 6)\nGarnish:\n▢\nCrispy onions\n(above)\n▢\nChopped coriander \/ cilantro\n▢\nYoghurt\n(Note 7)\nCook Mode\nPrevent screen from sleeping\nMix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm \/ 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight.\nPar Boiled Rice:\nBring 3 litres \/ 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.\nAdd rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.\nDrain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in)\nCrispy Onions:\nHeat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter.\nRemove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.\nSaffron:\nPlace in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+.\nBiryani:\nPlace pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.\nRemove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice.\nRemove from heat.\nTurn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot.\nScatter over half the onion then half the coriander.\nTop with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface.\nDrizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee.\nPlace lid on. Return to stove over medium heat.\nAs soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes.\nRemove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes.\nTo Serve:\nAim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop.\nTurn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt)\n1. Cut the chicken along the bone, keeping the bone in. So one half will have no bone, the other will have the bone.\nSkin on bone in thighs is the safest to use (forms a protection barrier on base) and yields juicy chicken. Even if you overcook, worst case is crispy chicken skin which protects the flesh and rice. Next best is boneless chicken thighs.\nI take no responsibility for outcome if breast is used! But here is how I would do it: use whole breast, remove chicken from marinade, simmer marinade on low until it’s almost like a paste. Squidge raw breast back in the “paste”, then follow recipe starting with the onion and coriander layers. This will reduce the time the breast is cooking so keep it as juicy as possible\n2.\nGaram Masala\nis an Indian spice mix and you’ll find it in the spices aisle at every day supermarkets in Australia.\n3. Can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. Still super tasty!\n4. For an easy sub, use\nstore bought crispy fried shallots\nor onions. The shallots are found in the Asian section of every day supermarkets and Asian stores (cheaper!). Get plenty! Use some in the biryani and lots for garnish!\n5.\nSaffron\nbrings a unique flavour to the rice as well as the vibrant yellow colour. But it’s not cheap! If you’re budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads, use the economical saffron powder which is not pure saffron. Mix 1\/2 tsp powder with the water and proceed with recipe.\n6. Ghee is clarified butter, follow steps in my\nMovie Popcorn\nrecipe to make ghee. Otherwise, you’ll find it in the Indian section of some supermarkets (Coles, Harris Farms), or Asian stores. Otherwise, just use butter – not a deal killer here!\n7. Plain yoghurt is fine. Here’s a quick\nRaita\n(\nMinted Yoghur\nt, pictured & in video): Mix 1 1\/2 cups plain yoghurt with 1\/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves with a good pinch of salt and a touch of water to loosen consistency if needed.\n8.\nVegetable Biryani\n– Made it and loved it! Choose any vegetables you like. Suggestions: Capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, peas. Chop into pieces that will roughly be done at the same time when stewed, so that you have about 8 cups in total. Additionally, slice one onion.\nMix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl, with the following changes: 3\/4 cup of yoghurt; 300ml \/1 1\/4 cups water ; 1 tbsp garam marsala; 1 tbsp ground coriander; do not include vegetable oil in the marinade. Use all other spices per recipe.\nSaute the onion in 4 tbsp of vegetable or coconut oil. When starting to colour, add vegetables (except peas, if using) and marinade. Bring to a simmer and stew the vegetables until they are 50% cooked (softened but still firm), remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas, if using. Continue with the remaining rice cooking, assembly and cooking steps as per main recipe.\n9. \nOther proteins:\nGoat, lamb, beef, rabbit. Cut so the meat is jam packed and covers the base of the pot. Add water to marinade so meat is mostly covered, place lid on an simmer on medium low for as long as required so it’s pretty tender. It might take 1 hour or longer, depending on what you use. When tender, remove lid and let the sauce reduce down to about 1 to 1 1\/2 cups. Then proceed with recipe.\n10.\nGENERAL COMMENTS:\n* Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up\/down\n* Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water!\n* Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste.\n* Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years!\n* Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth.\n11.\nStorage\n– Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well.\nMake Ahead\n– These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe!\nKeywords:\nBiryani\nLife of Dozer\nThis is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.)","attrs_markdown":"- [Skip to primary navigation](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#genesis-nav-primary)\n- [Skip to header navigation](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#genesis-nav-header)\n- [Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#genesis-content)\n- [Skip to primary sidebar](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#genesis-sidebar-primary)\n\n[RecipeTin Eats](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/)\n\nFast Prep, Big Flavours\n\nMain Menu\n\n[Display Search Bar]()\n\nMy RecipeTin\n\n×\n\n- Top\n- About\n- How to make it\n- Recipe origins\n- Video\n- Recipe\n- Life of Dozer\n- Comments\n\n- [My RecipeTin](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#slick-favorites)\n- [My cookbooks\\!](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/cookbooks\/)\n- [Recipes](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipes\/)\n- [Recipes By Category](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/)\n  Submenu\n  - [Iconic + cult classics](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/category\/iconic-dishes\/)\n  - 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Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani\\!\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_1-1.jpg)\n\n## **Biryani recipe**\nOne of the most [requested recipes](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipes-request\/) is finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right.\n\nSeven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns.\n\nAnd it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you\\!\n\n![Chicken Biryani on a large serving platter, garnished with coriander with a side of minted yoghurt.](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_6.jpg)\n\n## What is Biryani and why do I love it so much?\nEssentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath.\n\nSo in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it\\!\n\n## About this Biryani\nYou’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are **2 main types** – one where the protein and\/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as **Hyderabad-style** biryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today.\n\nThere’s a **wonderful Afghani restaurant** in my area called [Sahar](http:\/\/saharafghanrestaurant.com.au\/) (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches.\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_9-1.jpg)\n\n## How to make Biryani\nChicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander\/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice.\n\nThe crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness.\n\nThe pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy.\n\n![Preparation steps for Biryani](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/How-to-make-Biryani.jpg)\n\nThat moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight…\n\n![Preparation of Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_0-1.jpg)\n\n…. that moment is only second to **this:** when you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of *every layer,* and the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth….\n\n![Serving Chicken Biryani from a white pot, showing the chicken curry and rice layers](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_3.jpg)\n\nOK wait. Did you almost lose control too?\n\nI’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe\\!\n\n## Biryani spices\nThere’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce.\n\nThere’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at **everyday supermarkets** here in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂\n\n![Spices for Chicken Biryani](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Spices-for-Chicken-Biryani.jpg)\n\n## Cheeky substitute for fried onions\nThin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving.\n\nIf you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my **cheeky alternative** is using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or **Asian Fried Shallots** (pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch\\!\n\n![Fried Onions for Biryani](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Fried-Onions-for-Biryani.jpg)\n\n## The roots of this recipe\nAnother recipe ticked off the [Recipe Request](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipes-request\/) list, another RecipeTin family effort!\\!\n\nAs always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain [Student Biryani](http:\/\/studentbiryani.com.au\/) in Auburn, and the Indian restaurant [Paradise Biryani House](http:\/\/biryani.com.au\/index.html) in North Strathfield.\n\nTo learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India.\n\nYes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, ***it is actually quite a straightforward recipe*.** (Video is helpful too!)\n\nAnd even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!). ***– Nagi x***\n\n## More great curries of the world\\!\n- [Chicken Tikka Masala](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/chicken-tikka-masala\/)\n- [Dal](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/dal-indian-lentil-curry\/) (Indian lentil curry)\n- [Thai Red Curry](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/thai-red-curry-with-chicken\/)\n- [Beef Rendang](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/beef-rendang\/)\n- [Massaman Curry](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/massaman-curry\/)\n- [Chickpea & Potato Curry](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/easy-chickpea-potato-curry-chana-aloo-curry\/)\n- [Goan Fish Curry](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/goan-fish-curry-indian\/)\n- Browse the [Curry Collection](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/category\/curry-recipes\/)\n## **And serve on the side …**\n- [Indian Tomato Salad](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/indian-salad-tomat-mint-dressing\/)\n- Give this [Everyday Cabbage Salad](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/everyday-cabbage-salad\/) an Indian spin by sauteing garlic and cumin seeds in oil before mixing up with other Dressing ingredients\n- [No Yeast Easy **Soft** Flatbread](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/easy-soft-flatbread-yeast\/). Perfect to use as naan\\!\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt, ready to be eaten](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_4.jpg)\n***\n## Watch how to make it\nHungry for more? Subscribe to my [newsletter](https:\/\/recipetineats.ck.page\/6f68ed0a2d) and follow along on [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RecipeTinEats), [Pinterest](http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/recipetin\/) and [Instagram](http:\/\/instagram.com\/recipe_tin) for all of the latest updates.\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_1-1.jpg?resize=206%2C206)\n\n## Chicken Biryani\nAuthor:\n\nNagi\n\nPrep:\n\n20 minutes mins\n\nCook:\n\n1 hour hr\n\nTotal:\n\n1 hour hr 20 minutes mins\n\nMain\n\nIndian\n\n4\\.96 from 312 votes\n\nServings[8](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/)\n\nTap or hover to scale\n\n[Print](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/wprm_print\/chicken-biryani)\n\n- [1070](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Fbiryani%2F&t=Biryani \"Share on Facebook\")\n- 125585\n\n**Recipe video above.** Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with **other proteins or vegetables** – see notes. There’s a load of spices in this – and it’s worth it! (Plus you’ll find everything at every day supermarkets). **Spiciness**: moderate low.\n\n### Ingredients\n- ▢\n  750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1)\n\n#### Marinade:\n- ▢\n  2\/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain\n- ▢\n  1\/2 cup (125 ml) water\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil)\n- ▢\n  6 garlic cloves , minced\n- ▢\n  2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger\n- ▢\n  1\/8 tsp ground turmeric\n- ▢\n  1\/4 tsp cinnamon\n- ▢\n  1\/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste)\n- ▢\n  1\/2 tsp ground cardamom\n- ▢\n  2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2)\n- ▢\n  2 tsp coriander\n- ▢\n  1 tbsp cumin\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp paprika , sweet \/ ordinary (not smoked)\n- ▢\n  1 3\/4 tsp salt\n\n#### Par Boiled Rice:\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp salt\n- ▢\n  10 cloves\n- ▢\n  5 dried bay leaves\n- ▢\n  1 star anise\n- ▢\n  6 green cardamon pods\n- ▢\n  2 1\/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3)\n\n#### Crispy Onions (Note 4):\n- ▢\n  2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced\n- ▢\n  1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying\n\n#### Saffron:\n- ▢\n  1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5)\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp warm water\n\n#### Biryani:\n- ▢\n  1 cup coriander \/ cilantro , chopped\n- ▢\n  1\/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6)\n\n#### Garnish:\n- ▢\n  Crispy onions (above)\n- ▢\n  Chopped coriander \/ cilantro\n- ▢\n  Yoghurt (Note 7)\n\nCook Mode\n\nPrevent screen from sleeping\n\n### Instructions\n- Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm \/ 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight.\n\n#### Par Boiled Rice:\n- Bring 3 litres \/ 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.\n- Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.\n- Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in)\n\n#### Crispy Onions:\n- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter.\n- Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.\n\n#### Saffron:\n- Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+.\n\n#### Biryani:\n- Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.\n- Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice.\n- Remove from heat.\n- Turn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot.\n- Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander.\n- Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface.\n- Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee.\n- Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat.\n- As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes.\n- Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes.\n\n#### To Serve:\n- Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop.\n- Turn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt)\n\n### Recipe Notes:\n1\\. Cut the chicken along the bone, keeping the bone in. So one half will have no bone, the other will have the bone.\n\nSkin on bone in thighs is the safest to use (forms a protection barrier on base) and yields juicy chicken. Even if you overcook, worst case is crispy chicken skin which protects the flesh and rice. Next best is boneless chicken thighs.\n\nI take no responsibility for outcome if breast is used! But here is how I would do it: use whole breast, remove chicken from marinade, simmer marinade on low until it’s almost like a paste. Squidge raw breast back in the “paste”, then follow recipe starting with the onion and coriander layers. This will reduce the time the breast is cooking so keep it as juicy as possible\n\n2\\. **Garam Masala** is an Indian spice mix and you’ll find it in the spices aisle at every day supermarkets in Australia.\n\n3\\. Can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. Still super tasty\\!\n\n4\\. For an easy sub, use **store bought crispy fried shallots** or onions. The shallots are found in the Asian section of every day supermarkets and Asian stores (cheaper!). Get plenty! Use some in the biryani and lots for garnish\\!\n\n5\\. **Saffron** brings a unique flavour to the rice as well as the vibrant yellow colour. But it’s not cheap! If you’re budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads, use the economical saffron powder which is not pure saffron. Mix 1\/2 tsp powder with the water and proceed with recipe.\n\n6\\. Ghee is clarified butter, follow steps in my [Movie Popcorn](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/homemade-movie-popcorn\/) recipe to make ghee. Otherwise, you’ll find it in the Indian section of some supermarkets (Coles, Harris Farms), or Asian stores. Otherwise, just use butter – not a deal killer here\\!\n\n7\\. Plain yoghurt is fine. Here’s a quick **Raita** (**Minted Yoghur**t, pictured & in video): Mix 1 1\/2 cups plain yoghurt with 1\/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves with a good pinch of salt and a touch of water to loosen consistency if needed.\n\n8\\. **Vegetable Biryani** – Made it and loved it! Choose any vegetables you like. Suggestions: Capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, peas. Chop into pieces that will roughly be done at the same time when stewed, so that you have about 8 cups in total. Additionally, slice one onion.\n\nMix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl, with the following changes: 3\/4 cup of yoghurt; 300ml \/1 1\/4 cups water ; 1 tbsp garam marsala; 1 tbsp ground coriander; do not include vegetable oil in the marinade. Use all other spices per recipe.\n\nSaute the onion in 4 tbsp of vegetable or coconut oil. When starting to colour, add vegetables (except peas, if using) and marinade. Bring to a simmer and stew the vegetables until they are 50% cooked (softened but still firm), remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas, if using. Continue with the remaining rice cooking, assembly and cooking steps as per main recipe.\n\n9\\. **Other proteins:** Goat, lamb, beef, rabbit. Cut so the meat is jam packed and covers the base of the pot. Add water to marinade so meat is mostly covered, place lid on an simmer on medium low for as long as required so it’s pretty tender. It might take 1 hour or longer, depending on what you use. When tender, remove lid and let the sauce reduce down to about 1 to 1 1\/2 cups. Then proceed with recipe.\n\n10\\. **GENERAL COMMENTS:**  \n\\* Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up\/down  \n\\* Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water\\!  \n\\* Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste.  \n\\* Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years\\!  \n\\* Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth.\n\n11\\. **Storage** – Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well.\n\n**Make Ahead** – These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe\\!\n\nKeywords: Biryani\n\nDid you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at [@recipe\\_tin](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/recipe_tin\/).\n## Life of Dozer\nThis is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.)\n\n![Dozer the golden retriever dog using a plush toy as a pillow](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Dozer-on-shaggy-rug.jpg)\n\n[Previous Post Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/slow-cooked-lamb-shanks-in-red-wine-sauce\/)\n\n[Next Post Lemon Potato Salad](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/lemon-potato-salad\/)\n\n#### Hi, I'm Nagi\\!\nI believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative\\!\n\n[Read More](http:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/about-me\/)\n\n### Free Recipe eBooks\nJoin my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks\\!\n## Reader Interactions\n### Leave a Comment [Cancel reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#respond)\n#### 851 Comments\n1. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a2e93ac9f451135283c5ed90a6619d78520259f19bc77ffc0e03c87328a91f25?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Kathy Withers says\n   \n   March 20, 2026 at 8:42 am\n   \n   Would you happen to have the breakdown of calories for this please? Looks delicious.\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1992815)\n2. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ce809f9f4bbdb1538bde40a6a58f18284d885c4580bb9739b36e968ad6ab81f6?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Scholastica says\n   \n   March 3, 2026 at 8:32 am\n   \n   I tried to make this twice, followed the measurements and instructions. The chickens are slways burnt and there’s only tiny amount of gravy left. Is 1\/2 cup water for the marinade correct? Please help.\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1979766)\n3. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7250f2085b4eea30252cbc401528367b9c0c6985e8014a0298ab778e0aac9916?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Maryam says\n   \n   February 27, 2026 at 10:41 pm\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    Amazing recipe and very accurate, I made it 3 times in one week. Thank you!\\!\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1977467)\n4. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/685cc5e18a9e6fea3c4c064e0f59f6d78664de4ab23111585ab19d2cdd9d422c?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Matthew Macartney says\n   \n   January 29, 2026 at 9:23 pm\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    Love this recipe! Would it work well with shrimp?\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1944989)\n5. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/61c5012ac4bd166660c42324fab3095e2b6288b9fa2bf3427c074935752c5e19?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Rosalie Kennedy says\n   \n   January 19, 2026 at 9:06 pm\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    By far the tastiest and easiest Biriyani recipe to follow. However It needed more liquid as the rice absorbed most of it and so the chicken was burned\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1935864)\n6. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3e9f5b0221c0a1377c4ab11dcc7094e9ced3141b3d0099400bb56df7cc595067?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Ben says\n   \n   January 6, 2026 at 6:10 pm\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    Made this many times and never fails to deliver and delight, thanks\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1922072)\n7. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0d563bbe5615a6029581398f7e17c306dc59d65c63b6bab26bbd554fd37bc693?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Tony says\n   \n   December 10, 2025 at 12:53 pm\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    I made this tonight using boneless skinless thighs, as that’s all I had. Other than that, I made it as written and it is to die for. This is so easy – even to fry the onions and is so tasty. I’m hooked. Will definitely be making this again\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1898107)\n8. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4176dfce16824b53927528b51d32af0819418ef0ecb2e13e15863c6922bef1ab?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Sylvia Yoakum says\n   \n   December 2, 2025 at 10:44 am\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    I made this today for a get together with my friends. It came out so yummylicious! I definitely plan to make it again. Thank you Nagi. You are so generous sharing your awesome talent\\!\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1892894)\n9. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c8d0f12c00b5f462cd3ccc873216a890d02764ef27c3543d74c63751cecbe2a0?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)[Cris](https:\/\/recipetineats..com) says\n   \n   November 12, 2025 at 9:05 am\n   \n   ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n    This was the first time I made it and it came out really well. My family loved it.  \n    I plan to double the recipe for a group, just ain’t sure how to do it.\n   \n   Do I just need to double everything or better to make 2 pots of it.\n   \n   Kindly advise Nagi. Thanks and thanks for sharing your amazing talent! You’re a culinary genius!\\!\n   \n   More power!\\!\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1878594)\n10. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8679990db64a852ee7c5a566d01d8c0bff809dd9399ded264eaf1c5b7d2ee1e7?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Megan says\n    \n    October 16, 2025 at 8:22 pm\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     Very delicious! Cooked the full 8 servings and 3 of us almost finished it off\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1858167)\n11. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e0798abe7849b2ce12067a9796cf51ebffc889d061730f3f34a15e822b3519ba?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Isabel says\n    \n    September 29, 2025 at 7:02 am\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     I can’t believe I’ve never left a review for this recipe. Its basically on regular rotation in my home (which is saying a lot since we have a completely new menu for dinners every 2 weeks and reuse rarely). This recipe goes over well with my husband and my toddler. We love it\\!  \n     Thank you!\\!  \n     P.s. we sub fried onions from the pantry and I use dried ginger and garlic because I’m a bit lazy 🤭 always delicious and superbly flexible\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1844395)\n12. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6473e129de482896f936770160f77cb62fd8b8f0f326069599e3926bb1e955b6?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Kumi says\n    \n    September 23, 2025 at 8:37 pm\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     I made the chicken biryani tonight. Yes I used sub saffron and yes I used store bought dried shallots. But it was still DELICIOUS!\\!  \n     Great recipe. Thanks Nagi.\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1840279)\n13. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9fcb12ca14ca5b5e75cde3f36289b1ec5f564d5addbd0ae6fedac6f776b71b4e?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Frenchy says\n    \n    September 2, 2025 at 2:41 am\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     I used this recipe as my guide. It came out amazingly delicious! But I did NOT use the salt amount listed in the par boil rice, just a pinch instead of 2 tablespoons (yikes!). The rice came out just fine, delicious! I didn’t have cardamom pods, cloves or anise either. For those I substituted with a bit of cardamon powder, ground clove and substituted fennel seeds for the anise. I used shallots instead of onion. I adjusted the serving quantity to 6 as I only had one pound of meat – chunky stew lamb meat that was on the bone. Marinated it in a covered bowl on the counter top for one hour. Then I cooked the lamb in its marinade in a large lidded deep pan for another hour. Before the last step, I removed the boned meat out of the sauce onto a plate, cooled it a little then pried off all the meat discarding the bones and put the meat back into the sauce. Then, I completed the recipe instructions. Made a minted yogurt too. We loved it! Thank you.\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1824407)\n14. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/61876e1421805618798eed6e32dac090f91a9d9e5a23da29644d970d51212463?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Robyn says\n    \n    September 1, 2025 at 3:45 pm\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     I made it for the first time it was delicious a huge hit with the family ,definitely worth making again thank you Nagi\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1824170)\n15. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5bd1cf4a2233cf4c0887cd4d882b5419f25b8ba158e43af5d39d3097732bcb83?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Anissa says\n    \n    August 25, 2025 at 5:55 pm\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     I love this and have made many times, I want to cook on the weekend but short on stove space, can I cook it in the oven?\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1819289)\n16. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/28dbb5a9aa147d438f442285ec83effbd472fc71a577774a0c649f8bd90f30b9?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)[Robyn Parkinson](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/) says\n    \n    August 13, 2025 at 5:38 pm\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     This is first time I have made a Biryani and it was a success, thanks to your excellent instructions, notes, video and details. I used flat leaf parsley as here in NZ winter, fresh coriander is horrendous expensive for a very small bunch. I look forward to making this recipe again.\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1811516)\n17. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/973dfe463ec85785f5f95af5ba3906eedb2d931c24e69824a89ea65dba4e813b?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)[phim sextop 1](https:\/\/ahmarpensadoenti.com\/) says\n    \n    July 28, 2025 at 1:39 am\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     Nơi hội tụ các bộ phim 18+ đặc sắc, đa dạng nhất Việt Nam với link xem trực tiếp miễn phí, tốc độ tải nhanh, bảo mật tối đa trên [sex anime hiếp](https:\/\/ahmarpensadoenti.com\/).\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1801463)\n18. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/36766abd70c599607f31165296465772f8c97eca52fb2333bf4a39b935cbe607?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)David M says\n    \n    July 27, 2025 at 1:20 pm\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     Was worried that this might be a little complicated when confronted with the list of ingredients, simple is best! But it was easily done in two stages and a wonderful outcome. Will include in a repertoire of regulars for variety\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1801040)\n19. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2aaefe2bd73cd4520cfca4e69361a67234ee41b79dac8fcba55ceedd2d43c31b?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Anita Sisk says\n    \n    July 15, 2025 at 10:00 am\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     Wow, wow, wow! This was TEMENDOUS. I even had to make a few subs (because I didn’t read carefully enough when planning) but scoured the internet for them. I really can’t imagine it being any BETTER without my subs, but can’t wait to try\\!\n    \n    Thanks, Nagi. You are quickly becoming my go-to site for new recipes! I even tried your no yeast flatbread since I didn’t have time for (your) naan\\!\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1791951)\n    - ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2aaefe2bd73cd4520cfca4e69361a67234ee41b79dac8fcba55ceedd2d43c31b?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Anita Sisk says\n      \n      August 28, 2025 at 2:59 am\n      \n      I made this again with every single ingredient – no subs and, while I can’t believe it – it IS even better.\n      \n      I just prepped my chicken to marinate for a THIRD time, can’t wait for dinner\\!\n      \n      [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1821138)\n20. ![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3264649af57bc4babb536e0753b24bec03b72e911ea3ebc79800bcc86f8f0cfe?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Stephanie says\n    \n    June 29, 2025 at 6:43 am\n    \n    ![5 stars](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/content\/plugins\/wp-recipe-maker\/assets\/icons\/rating\/stars-5.svg)  \n     Turned out perfect, didn’t splurge for the saffron but followed everything else exactly. Will make again soon\\!\n    \n    [Reply](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#comment-1780858)\n\n[Older Comments](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/comment-page-2\/#comments)\n\n## Primary Sidebar\n![](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/12\/nagi.jpg?resize=747%2C747)\n\n### Hi, I'm Nagi\\!\nI believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative\\!\n\n[Read More](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/nagi-recipetin-eats\/)\n\n### Free Recipe eBooks\nJoin my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks\\!\n\n![](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/12\/dozer.jpeg)\n\n### Meet Dozer\nOfficial taste tester of RecipeTin Eats\\!\n\n[Meet Dozer](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/dozer-the-golden-retriever-dog\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/12\/fast-meals.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/category\/collections\/dinner-tonight\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/12\/one-pot.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/category\/one-pot-recipes\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/12\/japanese-meals.jpeg)](https:\/\/japan.recipetineats.com\/)\n\n##### As Featured On\n### Never miss a recipe\\!\nSubscribe to my newsletter and receive 3 FREE ebooks\\!\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/#profile-subscribe-popup)\n\n##### Recipes\n- [All Recipes](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipes\/)\n- [By Category](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/categories\/)\n- [Collections](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/category\/collections\/)\n\n##### About\n- [About Nagi](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/nagi-recipetin-eats\/)\n- [About Dozer](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/dozer-the-golden-retriever-dog\/)\n- [RecipeTin Meals](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipetin-meals\/)\n\n##### Related\n- [RecipeTin Japan](https:\/\/japan.recipetineats.com\/)\n\n##### Help\n- [Contact](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/contact\/)\n- [Image Use Policy](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/policy-use-of-recipes-images\/)\n\n© RecipeTin Eats 2026\n\n- [Privacy Policy & Terms](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/nagi-recipetin-eats\/privacy-disclosure\/)\n\nSite Credits\n\nMaintained by [Human Made](https:\/\/humanmade.com\/) Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled\n\nAll Rights Reserved\n\n## Subscribe to my newsletter\n![](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2024\/05\/Free-eCookbooks-graphic_popup-resized.jpg)\n\n### Sign up and receive 3 FREE EBOOKS\\!","attrs_readable_markdown":"Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours. Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani\\!\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_1-1.jpg)\n\n## **Biryani recipe**\nOne of the most [requested recipes](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipes-request\/) is finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right.\n\nSeven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns.\n\nAnd it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you\\!\n\n![Chicken Biryani on a large serving platter, garnished with coriander with a side of minted yoghurt.](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_6.jpg)\n\n## What is Biryani and why do I love it so much?\nEssentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath.\n\nSo in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it\\!\n\n## About this Biryani\nYou’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are **2 main types** – one where the protein and\/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as **Hyderabad-style** biryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today.\n\nThere’s a **wonderful Afghani restaurant** in my area called [Sahar](http:\/\/saharafghanrestaurant.com.au\/) (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches.\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_9-1.jpg)\n\n## How to make Biryani\nChicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander\/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice.\n\nThe crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness.\n\nThe pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy.\n\n![Preparation steps for Biryani](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/How-to-make-Biryani.jpg)\n\nThat moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight…\n\n![Preparation of Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_0-1.jpg)\n\n…. that moment is only second to **this:** when you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of *every layer,* and the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth….\n\n![Serving Chicken Biryani from a white pot, showing the chicken curry and rice layers](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_3.jpg)\n\nOK wait. Did you almost lose control too?\n\nI’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe\\!\n\n## Biryani spices\nThere’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce.\n\nThere’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at **everyday supermarkets** here in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂\n\n![Spices for Chicken Biryani](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Spices-for-Chicken-Biryani.jpg)\n\n## Cheeky substitute for fried onions\nThin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving.\n\nIf you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my **cheeky alternative** is using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or **Asian Fried Shallots** (pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch\\!\n\n![Fried Onions for Biryani](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Fried-Onions-for-Biryani.jpg)\n\n## The roots of this recipe\nAnother recipe ticked off the [Recipe Request](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/recipes-request\/) list, another RecipeTin family effort!\\!\n\nAs always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain [Student Biryani](http:\/\/studentbiryani.com.au\/) in Auburn, and the Indian restaurant [Paradise Biryani House](http:\/\/biryani.com.au\/index.html) in North Strathfield.\n\nTo learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India.\n\nYes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, ***it is actually quite a straightforward recipe*.** (Video is helpful too!)\n\nAnd even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!). ***– Nagi x***\n\n![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt, ready to be eaten](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Chicken-Biryani_4.jpg)\n***\n## Watch how to make it\nSubscribe to my [newsletter](https:\/\/recipetineats.ck.page\/6f68ed0a2d) and follow along on [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RecipeTinEats), [Pinterest](http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/recipetin\/) and [Instagram](http:\/\/instagram.com\/recipe_tin) for all of the latest updates.\n\nServings[8](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/biryani\/)\n\nTap or hover to scale\n\n**Recipe video above.** Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with **other proteins or vegetables** – see notes. There’s a load of spices in this – and it’s worth it! (Plus you’ll find everything at every day supermarkets). **Spiciness**: moderate low.\n\n- ▢\n  750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1)\n\n#### Marinade:\n- ▢\n  2\/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain\n- ▢\n  1\/2 cup (125 ml) water\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil)\n- ▢\n  6 garlic cloves , minced\n- ▢\n  2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger\n- ▢\n  1\/8 tsp ground turmeric\n- ▢\n  1\/4 tsp cinnamon\n- ▢\n  1\/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste)\n- ▢\n  1\/2 tsp ground cardamom\n- ▢\n  2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2)\n- ▢\n  2 tsp coriander\n- ▢\n  1 tbsp cumin\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp paprika , sweet \/ ordinary (not smoked)\n- ▢\n  1 3\/4 tsp salt\n\n#### Par Boiled Rice:\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp salt\n- ▢\n  10 cloves\n- ▢\n  5 dried bay leaves\n- ▢\n  1 star anise\n- ▢\n  6 green cardamon pods\n- ▢\n  2 1\/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3)\n\n#### Crispy Onions (Note 4):\n- ▢\n  2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced\n- ▢\n  1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying\n\n#### Saffron:\n- ▢\n  1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5)\n- ▢\n  2 tbsp warm water\n\n#### Biryani:\n- ▢\n  1 cup coriander \/ cilantro , chopped\n- ▢\n  1\/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6)\n\n#### Garnish:\n- ▢\n  Crispy onions (above)\n- ▢\n  Chopped coriander \/ cilantro\n- ▢\n  Yoghurt (Note 7)\n\nCook ModePrevent screen from sleeping\n\n- Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm \/ 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight.\n\n#### Par Boiled Rice:\n- Bring 3 litres \/ 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.\n- Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.\n- Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in)\n\n#### Crispy Onions:\n- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter.\n- Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.\n\n#### Saffron:\n- Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+.\n\n#### Biryani:\n- Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.\n- Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice.\n- Remove from heat.\n- Turn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot.\n- Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander.\n- Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface.\n- Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee.\n- Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat.\n- As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes.\n- Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes.\n\n#### To Serve:\n- Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop.\n- Turn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt)\n\n1\\. Cut the chicken along the bone, keeping the bone in. So one half will have no bone, the other will have the bone.\n\nSkin on bone in thighs is the safest to use (forms a protection barrier on base) and yields juicy chicken. Even if you overcook, worst case is crispy chicken skin which protects the flesh and rice. Next best is boneless chicken thighs.\n\nI take no responsibility for outcome if breast is used! But here is how I would do it: use whole breast, remove chicken from marinade, simmer marinade on low until it’s almost like a paste. Squidge raw breast back in the “paste”, then follow recipe starting with the onion and coriander layers. This will reduce the time the breast is cooking so keep it as juicy as possible\n\n2\\. **Garam Masala** is an Indian spice mix and you’ll find it in the spices aisle at every day supermarkets in Australia.\n\n3\\. Can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. Still super tasty\\!\n\n4\\. For an easy sub, use **store bought crispy fried shallots** or onions. The shallots are found in the Asian section of every day supermarkets and Asian stores (cheaper!). Get plenty! Use some in the biryani and lots for garnish\\!\n\n5\\. **Saffron** brings a unique flavour to the rice as well as the vibrant yellow colour. But it’s not cheap! If you’re budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads, use the economical saffron powder which is not pure saffron. Mix 1\/2 tsp powder with the water and proceed with recipe.\n\n6\\. Ghee is clarified butter, follow steps in my [Movie Popcorn](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/homemade-movie-popcorn\/) recipe to make ghee. Otherwise, you’ll find it in the Indian section of some supermarkets (Coles, Harris Farms), or Asian stores. Otherwise, just use butter – not a deal killer here\\!\n\n7\\. Plain yoghurt is fine. Here’s a quick **Raita** (**Minted Yoghur**t, pictured & in video): Mix 1 1\/2 cups plain yoghurt with 1\/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves with a good pinch of salt and a touch of water to loosen consistency if needed.\n\n8\\. **Vegetable Biryani** – Made it and loved it! Choose any vegetables you like. Suggestions: Capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, peas. Chop into pieces that will roughly be done at the same time when stewed, so that you have about 8 cups in total. Additionally, slice one onion.\n\nMix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl, with the following changes: 3\/4 cup of yoghurt; 300ml \/1 1\/4 cups water ; 1 tbsp garam marsala; 1 tbsp ground coriander; do not include vegetable oil in the marinade. Use all other spices per recipe.\n\nSaute the onion in 4 tbsp of vegetable or coconut oil. When starting to colour, add vegetables (except peas, if using) and marinade. Bring to a simmer and stew the vegetables until they are 50% cooked (softened but still firm), remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas, if using. Continue with the remaining rice cooking, assembly and cooking steps as per main recipe.\n\n9\\. **Other proteins:** Goat, lamb, beef, rabbit. Cut so the meat is jam packed and covers the base of the pot. Add water to marinade so meat is mostly covered, place lid on an simmer on medium low for as long as required so it’s pretty tender. It might take 1 hour or longer, depending on what you use. When tender, remove lid and let the sauce reduce down to about 1 to 1 1\/2 cups. Then proceed with recipe.\n\n10\\. **GENERAL COMMENTS:**  \n\\* Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up\/down  \n\\* Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water\\!  \n\\* Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste.  \n\\* Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years\\!  \n\\* Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth.\n\n11\\. **Storage** – Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well.\n\n**Make Ahead** – These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe\\!\n\nKeywords: Biryani\n## Life of Dozer\nThis is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.)\n\n![Dozer the golden retriever dog using a plush toy as a pillow](https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2018\/08\/Dozer-on-shaggy-rug.jpg)","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours. Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani! Biryani recipe One of the most requested recipes is finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right. Seven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns. And it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you! What is Biryani and why do I love it so much? Essentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath. So in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it! About this Biryani You’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are 2 main types – one where the protein and/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as Hyderabad-style biryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today. There’s a wonderful Afghani restaurant in my area called Sahar (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches. How to make Biryani Chicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice. The crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness. The pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy. That moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight… …. that moment is only second to this: when you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of every layer, and the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth…. OK wait. Did you almost lose control too? I’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe! Biryani spices There’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce. There’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at everyday supermarkets here in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂 Cheeky substitute for fried onions Thin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving. If you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my cheeky alternative is using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or Asian Fried Shallots (pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch! The roots of this recipe Another recipe ticked off the Recipe Request list, another RecipeTin family effort!! As always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain Student Biryani in Auburn, and the Indian restaurant Paradise Biryani House in North Strathfield. To learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India. Yes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, it is actually quite a straightforward recipe . (Video is helpful too!) And even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!). – Nagi x Watch how to make it Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook , Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates. Servings 8 Tap or hover to scale Recipe video above. Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with other proteins or vegetables – see notes. There’s a load of spices in this – and it’s worth it! (Plus you’ll find everything at every day supermarkets). Spiciness : moderate low. ▢ 750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1) Marinade: ▢ 2/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain ▢ 1/2 cup (125 ml) water ▢ 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil) ▢ 6 garlic cloves , minced ▢ 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger ▢ 1/8 tsp ground turmeric ▢ 1/4 tsp cinnamon ▢ 1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste) ▢ 1/2 tsp ground cardamom ▢ 2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2) ▢ 2 tsp coriander ▢ 1 tbsp cumin ▢ 2 tbsp paprika , sweet / ordinary (not smoked) ▢ 1 3/4 tsp salt Par Boiled Rice: ▢ 2 tbsp salt ▢ 10 cloves ▢ 5 dried bay leaves ▢ 1 star anise ▢ 6 green cardamon pods ▢ 2 1/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3) Crispy Onions (Note 4): ▢ 2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced ▢ 1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying Saffron: ▢ 1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5) ▢ 2 tbsp warm water Biryani: ▢ 1 cup coriander / cilantro , chopped ▢ 1/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6) Garnish: ▢ Crispy onions (above) ▢ Chopped coriander / cilantro ▢ Yoghurt (Note 7) Cook Mode Prevent screen from sleeping Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm / 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight. Par Boiled Rice: Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices. Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking. Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in) Crispy Onions: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter. Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion. Saffron: Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+. Biryani: Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice. Remove from heat. Turn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot. Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander. Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface. Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee. Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat. As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes. Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes. To Serve: Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop. Turn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt) 1. Cut the chicken along the bone, keeping the bone in. So one half will have no bone, the other will have the bone. Skin on bone in thighs is the safest to use (forms a protection barrier on base) and yields juicy chicken. Even if you overcook, worst case is crispy chicken skin which protects the flesh and rice. Next best is boneless chicken thighs. I take no responsibility for outcome if breast is used! But here is how I would do it: use whole breast, remove chicken from marinade, simmer marinade on low until it’s almost like a paste. Squidge raw breast back in the “paste”, then follow recipe starting with the onion and coriander layers. This will reduce the time the breast is cooking so keep it as juicy as possible 2. Garam Masala is an Indian spice mix and you’ll find it in the spices aisle at every day supermarkets in Australia. 3. Can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. Still super tasty! 4. For an easy sub, use store bought crispy fried shallots or onions. The shallots are found in the Asian section of every day supermarkets and Asian stores (cheaper!). Get plenty! Use some in the biryani and lots for garnish! 5. Saffron brings a unique flavour to the rice as well as the vibrant yellow colour. But it’s not cheap! If you’re budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads, use the economical saffron powder which is not pure saffron. Mix 1/2 tsp powder with the water and proceed with recipe. 6. Ghee is clarified butter, follow steps in my Movie Popcorn recipe to make ghee. Otherwise, you’ll find it in the Indian section of some supermarkets (Coles, Harris Farms), or Asian stores. Otherwise, just use butter – not a deal killer here! 7. Plain yoghurt is fine. Here’s a quick Raita ( Minted Yoghur t, pictured & in video): Mix 1 1/2 cups plain yoghurt with 1/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves with a good pinch of salt and a touch of water to loosen consistency if needed. 8. Vegetable Biryani – Made it and loved it! Choose any vegetables you like. Suggestions: Capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, peas. Chop into pieces that will roughly be done at the same time when stewed, so that you have about 8 cups in total. Additionally, slice one onion. Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl, with the following changes: 3/4 cup of yoghurt; 300ml /1 1/4 cups water ; 1 tbsp garam marsala; 1 tbsp ground coriander; do not include vegetable oil in the marinade. Use all other spices per recipe. Saute the onion in 4 tbsp of vegetable or coconut oil. When starting to colour, add vegetables (except peas, if using) and marinade. Bring to a simmer and stew the vegetables until they are 50% cooked (softened but still firm), remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas, if using. Continue with the remaining rice cooking, assembly and cooking steps as per main recipe. 9. Other proteins: Goat, lamb, beef, rabbit. Cut so the meat is jam packed and covers the base of the pot. Add water to marinade so meat is mostly covered, place lid on an simmer on medium low for as long as required so it’s pretty tender. It might take 1 hour or longer, depending on what you use. When tender, remove lid and let the sauce reduce down to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Then proceed with recipe. 10. GENERAL COMMENTS: * Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up/down * Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water! * Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste. * Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years! * Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth. 11. Storage – Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well. Make Ahead – These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe! Keywords: Biryani Life of Dozer This is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.)
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[Copy Link](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/) - [E-mail](<mailto:?subject=RecipeTin Eats: Biryani&body=https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/>) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/&t=Biryani) - [WhatsApp](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Biryani%20-%20https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/) Published10 Aug '18 Updated12 Jun '25 Jump to [Recipe](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#recipe) Video Dozer Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours. Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani\! ![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_1-1.jpg) ## Biryani recipe One of the most [requested recipes](https://www.recipetineats.com/recipes-request/) is finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right. Seven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns. And it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you\! ![Chicken Biryani on a large serving platter, garnished with coriander with a side of minted yoghurt.](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_6.jpg) ## What is Biryani and why do I love it so much? Essentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath. So in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it\! ## About this Biryani You’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are 2 main types – one where the protein and/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as Hyderabad-style biryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today. There’s a wonderful Afghani restaurant in my area called [Sahar](http://saharafghanrestaurant.com.au/) (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches. ![Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_9-1.jpg) ## How to make Biryani Chicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice. The crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness. The pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy. ![Preparation steps for Biryani](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/How-to-make-Biryani.jpg) That moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight… ![Preparation of Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_0-1.jpg) …. that moment is only second to this: when you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of every layer, and the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth…. ![Serving Chicken Biryani from a white pot, showing the chicken curry and rice layers](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_3.jpg) OK wait. Did you almost lose control too? I’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe\! ## Biryani spices There’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce. There’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at everyday supermarkets here in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂 ![Spices for Chicken Biryani](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Spices-for-Chicken-Biryani.jpg) ## Cheeky substitute for fried onions Thin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving. If you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my cheeky alternative is using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or Asian Fried Shallots (pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch\! ![Fried Onions for Biryani](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Fried-Onions-for-Biryani.jpg) ## The roots of this recipe Another recipe ticked off the [Recipe Request](https://www.recipetineats.com/recipes-request/) list, another RecipeTin family effort!\! As always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain [Student Biryani](http://studentbiryani.com.au/) in Auburn, and the Indian restaurant [Paradise Biryani House](http://biryani.com.au/index.html) in North Strathfield. To learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India. Yes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, **it is actually quite a straightforward recipe. (Video is helpful too!) And even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!). – Nagi x ## More great curries of the world\! - [Chicken Tikka Masala](https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-tikka-masala/) - [Dal](https://www.recipetineats.com/dal-indian-lentil-curry/) (Indian lentil curry) - [Thai Red Curry](https://www.recipetineats.com/thai-red-curry-with-chicken/) - [Beef Rendang](https://www.recipetineats.com/beef-rendang/) - [Massaman Curry](https://www.recipetineats.com/massaman-curry/) - [Chickpea & Potato Curry](https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-chickpea-potato-curry-chana-aloo-curry/) - [Goan Fish Curry](https://www.recipetineats.com/goan-fish-curry-indian/) - Browse the [Curry Collection](https://www.recipetineats.com/category/curry-recipes/) ## And serve on the side … - [Indian Tomato Salad](https://www.recipetineats.com/indian-salad-tomat-mint-dressing/) - Give this [Everyday Cabbage Salad](https://www.recipetineats.com/everyday-cabbage-salad/) an Indian spin by sauteing garlic and cumin seeds in oil before mixing up with other Dressing ingredients - [No Yeast Easy Soft Flatbread](https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-soft-flatbread-yeast/). Perfect to use as naan\! ![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt, ready to be eaten](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_4.jpg) * ## Watch how to make it Hungry for more? Subscribe to my [newsletter](https://recipetineats.ck.page/6f68ed0a2d) and follow along on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/RecipeTinEats), [Pinterest](http://www.pinterest.com/recipetin/) and [Instagram](http://instagram.com/recipe_tin) for all of the latest updates. ![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_1-1.jpg?resize=206%2C206) ## Chicken Biryani Author: Nagi Prep: 20 minutes mins Cook: 1 hour hr Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins Main Indian 4\.96 from 312 votes Servings[8](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/) Tap or hover to scale [Print](https://www.recipetineats.com/wprm_print/chicken-biryani) - [1070](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Fbiryani%2F&t=Biryani "Share on Facebook") - 125585 Recipe video above. Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with other proteins or vegetables – see notes. There’s a load of spices in this – and it’s worth it! (Plus you’ll find everything at every day supermarkets). Spiciness: moderate low. ### Ingredients - ▢ 750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1) #### Marinade: - ▢ 2/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain - ▢ 1/2 cup (125 ml) water - ▢ 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil) - ▢ 6 garlic cloves , minced - ▢ 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger - ▢ 1/8 tsp ground turmeric - ▢ 1/4 tsp cinnamon - ▢ 1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste) - ▢ 1/2 tsp ground cardamom - ▢ 2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2) - ▢ 2 tsp coriander - ▢ 1 tbsp cumin - ▢ 2 tbsp paprika , sweet / ordinary (not smoked) - ▢ 1 3/4 tsp salt #### Par Boiled Rice: - ▢ 2 tbsp salt - ▢ 10 cloves - ▢ 5 dried bay leaves - ▢ 1 star anise - ▢ 6 green cardamon pods - ▢ 2 1/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3) #### Crispy Onions (Note 4): - ▢ 2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced - ▢ 1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying #### Saffron: - ▢ 1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5) - ▢ 2 tbsp warm water #### Biryani: - ▢ 1 cup coriander / cilantro , chopped - ▢ 1/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6) #### Garnish: - ▢ Crispy onions (above) - ▢ Chopped coriander / cilantro - ▢ Yoghurt (Note 7) Cook Mode Prevent screen from sleeping ### Instructions - Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm / 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight. #### Par Boiled Rice: - Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices. - Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking. - Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in) #### Crispy Onions: - Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter. - Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion. #### Saffron: - Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+. #### Biryani: - Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. - Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice. - Remove from heat. - Turn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot. - Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander. - Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface. - Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee. - Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat. - As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes. - Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes. #### To Serve: - Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop. - Turn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt) ### Recipe Notes: 1\. Cut the chicken along the bone, keeping the bone in. So one half will have no bone, the other will have the bone. Skin on bone in thighs is the safest to use (forms a protection barrier on base) and yields juicy chicken. Even if you overcook, worst case is crispy chicken skin which protects the flesh and rice. Next best is boneless chicken thighs. I take no responsibility for outcome if breast is used! But here is how I would do it: use whole breast, remove chicken from marinade, simmer marinade on low until it’s almost like a paste. Squidge raw breast back in the “paste”, then follow recipe starting with the onion and coriander layers. This will reduce the time the breast is cooking so keep it as juicy as possible 2\. Garam Masala is an Indian spice mix and you’ll find it in the spices aisle at every day supermarkets in Australia. 3\. Can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. Still super tasty\! 4\. For an easy sub, use store bought crispy fried shallots or onions. The shallots are found in the Asian section of every day supermarkets and Asian stores (cheaper!). Get plenty! Use some in the biryani and lots for garnish\! 5\. Saffron brings a unique flavour to the rice as well as the vibrant yellow colour. But it’s not cheap! If you’re budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads, use the economical saffron powder which is not pure saffron. Mix 1/2 tsp powder with the water and proceed with recipe. 6\. Ghee is clarified butter, follow steps in my [Movie Popcorn](https://www.recipetineats.com/homemade-movie-popcorn/) recipe to make ghee. Otherwise, you’ll find it in the Indian section of some supermarkets (Coles, Harris Farms), or Asian stores. Otherwise, just use butter – not a deal killer here\! 7\. Plain yoghurt is fine. Here’s a quick Raita (Minted Yoghurt, pictured & in video): Mix 1 1/2 cups plain yoghurt with 1/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves with a good pinch of salt and a touch of water to loosen consistency if needed. 8\. Vegetable Biryani – Made it and loved it! Choose any vegetables you like. Suggestions: Capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, peas. Chop into pieces that will roughly be done at the same time when stewed, so that you have about 8 cups in total. Additionally, slice one onion. Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl, with the following changes: 3/4 cup of yoghurt; 300ml /1 1/4 cups water ; 1 tbsp garam marsala; 1 tbsp ground coriander; do not include vegetable oil in the marinade. Use all other spices per recipe. Saute the onion in 4 tbsp of vegetable or coconut oil. When starting to colour, add vegetables (except peas, if using) and marinade. Bring to a simmer and stew the vegetables until they are 50% cooked (softened but still firm), remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas, if using. Continue with the remaining rice cooking, assembly and cooking steps as per main recipe. 9\. Other proteins: Goat, lamb, beef, rabbit. Cut so the meat is jam packed and covers the base of the pot. Add water to marinade so meat is mostly covered, place lid on an simmer on medium low for as long as required so it’s pretty tender. It might take 1 hour or longer, depending on what you use. When tender, remove lid and let the sauce reduce down to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Then proceed with recipe. 10\. GENERAL COMMENTS: \* Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up/down \* Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water\! \* Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste. \* Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years\! \* Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth. 11\. Storage – Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well. Make Ahead – These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe\! Keywords: Biryani Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at [@recipe\_tin](https://www.instagram.com/recipe_tin/). ## Life of Dozer This is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.) ![Dozer the golden retriever dog using a plush toy as a pillow](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Dozer-on-shaggy-rug.jpg) [Previous Post Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce](https://www.recipetineats.com/slow-cooked-lamb-shanks-in-red-wine-sauce/) [Next Post Lemon Potato Salad](https://www.recipetineats.com/lemon-potato-salad/) #### Hi, I'm Nagi\! I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative\! [Read More](http://www.recipetineats.com/about-me/) ### Free Recipe eBooks Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks\! ## Reader Interactions ### Leave a Comment [Cancel reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#respond) #### 851 Comments 1. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a2e93ac9f451135283c5ed90a6619d78520259f19bc77ffc0e03c87328a91f25?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Kathy Withers says March 20, 2026 at 8:42 am Would you happen to have the breakdown of calories for this please? Looks delicious. [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1992815) 2. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ce809f9f4bbdb1538bde40a6a58f18284d885c4580bb9739b36e968ad6ab81f6?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Scholastica says March 3, 2026 at 8:32 am I tried to make this twice, followed the measurements and instructions. The chickens are slways burnt and there’s only tiny amount of gravy left. Is 1/2 cup water for the marinade correct? Please help. [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1979766) 3. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7250f2085b4eea30252cbc401528367b9c0c6985e8014a0298ab778e0aac9916?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Maryam says February 27, 2026 at 10:41 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Amazing recipe and very accurate, I made it 3 times in one week. Thank you!\! [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1977467) 4. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/685cc5e18a9e6fea3c4c064e0f59f6d78664de4ab23111585ab19d2cdd9d422c?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Matthew Macartney says January 29, 2026 at 9:23 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Love this recipe! Would it work well with shrimp? [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1944989) 5. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/61c5012ac4bd166660c42324fab3095e2b6288b9fa2bf3427c074935752c5e19?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Rosalie Kennedy says January 19, 2026 at 9:06 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) By far the tastiest and easiest Biriyani recipe to follow. However It needed more liquid as the rice absorbed most of it and so the chicken was burned [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1935864) 6. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3e9f5b0221c0a1377c4ab11dcc7094e9ced3141b3d0099400bb56df7cc595067?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Ben says January 6, 2026 at 6:10 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Made this many times and never fails to deliver and delight, thanks [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1922072) 7. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0d563bbe5615a6029581398f7e17c306dc59d65c63b6bab26bbd554fd37bc693?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Tony says December 10, 2025 at 12:53 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I made this tonight using boneless skinless thighs, as that’s all I had. Other than that, I made it as written and it is to die for. This is so easy – even to fry the onions and is so tasty. I’m hooked. Will definitely be making this again [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1898107) 8. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4176dfce16824b53927528b51d32af0819418ef0ecb2e13e15863c6922bef1ab?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Sylvia Yoakum says December 2, 2025 at 10:44 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I made this today for a get together with my friends. It came out so yummylicious! I definitely plan to make it again. Thank you Nagi. You are so generous sharing your awesome talent\! [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1892894) 9. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c8d0f12c00b5f462cd3ccc873216a890d02764ef27c3543d74c63751cecbe2a0?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)[Cris](https://recipetineats..com) says November 12, 2025 at 9:05 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) This was the first time I made it and it came out really well. My family loved it. I plan to double the recipe for a group, just ain’t sure how to do it. Do I just need to double everything or better to make 2 pots of it. Kindly advise Nagi. Thanks and thanks for sharing your amazing talent! You’re a culinary genius!\! More power!\! [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1878594) 10. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8679990db64a852ee7c5a566d01d8c0bff809dd9399ded264eaf1c5b7d2ee1e7?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Megan says October 16, 2025 at 8:22 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Very delicious! Cooked the full 8 servings and 3 of us almost finished it off [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1858167) 11. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e0798abe7849b2ce12067a9796cf51ebffc889d061730f3f34a15e822b3519ba?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Isabel says September 29, 2025 at 7:02 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I can’t believe I’ve never left a review for this recipe. Its basically on regular rotation in my home (which is saying a lot since we have a completely new menu for dinners every 2 weeks and reuse rarely). This recipe goes over well with my husband and my toddler. We love it\! Thank you!\! P.s. we sub fried onions from the pantry and I use dried ginger and garlic because I’m a bit lazy 🤭 always delicious and superbly flexible [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1844395) 12. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6473e129de482896f936770160f77cb62fd8b8f0f326069599e3926bb1e955b6?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Kumi says September 23, 2025 at 8:37 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I made the chicken biryani tonight. Yes I used sub saffron and yes I used store bought dried shallots. But it was still DELICIOUS!\! Great recipe. Thanks Nagi. [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1840279) 13. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9fcb12ca14ca5b5e75cde3f36289b1ec5f564d5addbd0ae6fedac6f776b71b4e?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Frenchy says September 2, 2025 at 2:41 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I used this recipe as my guide. It came out amazingly delicious! But I did NOT use the salt amount listed in the par boil rice, just a pinch instead of 2 tablespoons (yikes!). The rice came out just fine, delicious! I didn’t have cardamom pods, cloves or anise either. For those I substituted with a bit of cardamon powder, ground clove and substituted fennel seeds for the anise. I used shallots instead of onion. I adjusted the serving quantity to 6 as I only had one pound of meat – chunky stew lamb meat that was on the bone. Marinated it in a covered bowl on the counter top for one hour. Then I cooked the lamb in its marinade in a large lidded deep pan for another hour. Before the last step, I removed the boned meat out of the sauce onto a plate, cooled it a little then pried off all the meat discarding the bones and put the meat back into the sauce. Then, I completed the recipe instructions. Made a minted yogurt too. We loved it! Thank you. [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1824407) 14. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/61876e1421805618798eed6e32dac090f91a9d9e5a23da29644d970d51212463?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Robyn says September 1, 2025 at 3:45 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I made it for the first time it was delicious a huge hit with the family ,definitely worth making again thank you Nagi [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1824170) 15. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bd1cf4a2233cf4c0887cd4d882b5419f25b8ba158e43af5d39d3097732bcb83?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Anissa says August 25, 2025 at 5:55 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) I love this and have made many times, I want to cook on the weekend but short on stove space, can I cook it in the oven? [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1819289) 16. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/28dbb5a9aa147d438f442285ec83effbd472fc71a577774a0c649f8bd90f30b9?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)[Robyn Parkinson](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/) says August 13, 2025 at 5:38 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) This is first time I have made a Biryani and it was a success, thanks to your excellent instructions, notes, video and details. I used flat leaf parsley as here in NZ winter, fresh coriander is horrendous expensive for a very small bunch. I look forward to making this recipe again. [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1811516) 17. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/973dfe463ec85785f5f95af5ba3906eedb2d931c24e69824a89ea65dba4e813b?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)[phim sextop 1](https://ahmarpensadoenti.com/) says July 28, 2025 at 1:39 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Nơi hội tụ các bộ phim 18+ đặc sắc, đa dạng nhất Việt Nam với link xem trực tiếp miễn phí, tốc độ tải nhanh, bảo mật tối đa trên [sex anime hiếp](https://ahmarpensadoenti.com/). [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1801463) 18. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/36766abd70c599607f31165296465772f8c97eca52fb2333bf4a39b935cbe607?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)David M says July 27, 2025 at 1:20 pm ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Was worried that this might be a little complicated when confronted with the list of ingredients, simple is best! But it was easily done in two stages and a wonderful outcome. Will include in a repertoire of regulars for variety [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1801040) 19. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2aaefe2bd73cd4520cfca4e69361a67234ee41b79dac8fcba55ceedd2d43c31b?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Anita Sisk says July 15, 2025 at 10:00 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Wow, wow, wow! This was TEMENDOUS. I even had to make a few subs (because I didn’t read carefully enough when planning) but scoured the internet for them. I really can’t imagine it being any BETTER without my subs, but can’t wait to try\! Thanks, Nagi. You are quickly becoming my go-to site for new recipes! I even tried your no yeast flatbread since I didn’t have time for (your) naan\! [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1791951) - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2aaefe2bd73cd4520cfca4e69361a67234ee41b79dac8fcba55ceedd2d43c31b?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Anita Sisk says August 28, 2025 at 2:59 am I made this again with every single ingredient – no subs and, while I can’t believe it – it IS even better. I just prepped my chicken to marinate for a THIRD time, can’t wait for dinner\! [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1821138) 20. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3264649af57bc4babb536e0753b24bec03b72e911ea3ebc79800bcc86f8f0cfe?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Ftachyon%2F2024%2F06%2Favatar-guest-temp-cache-bust-duplicate.png&r=g)Stephanie says June 29, 2025 at 6:43 am ![5 stars](https://www.recipetineats.com/content/plugins/wp-recipe-maker/assets/icons/rating/stars-5.svg) Turned out perfect, didn’t splurge for the saffron but followed everything else exactly. Will make again soon\! [Reply](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/#comment-1780858) [Older Comments](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/comment-page-2/#comments) ## Primary Sidebar ![](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/12/nagi.jpg?resize=747%2C747) ### Hi, I'm Nagi\! I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative\! 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Readable Markdown	Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours. Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani\! ![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_1-1.jpg) ## Biryani recipe One of the most [requested recipes](https://www.recipetineats.com/recipes-request/) is finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right. Seven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns. And it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you\! ![Chicken Biryani on a large serving platter, garnished with coriander with a side of minted yoghurt.](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_6.jpg) ## What is Biryani and why do I love it so much? Essentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath. So in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it\! ## About this Biryani You’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are 2 main types – one where the protein and/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as Hyderabad-style biryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today. There’s a wonderful Afghani restaurant in my area called [Sahar](http://saharafghanrestaurant.com.au/) (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches. ![Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_9-1.jpg) ## How to make Biryani Chicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice. The crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness. The pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy. ![Preparation steps for Biryani](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/How-to-make-Biryani.jpg) That moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight… ![Preparation of Chicken Biryani in a white Chasseur cast iron pot, fresh off the stove](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_0-1.jpg) …. that moment is only second to this: when you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of every layer, and the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth…. ![Serving Chicken Biryani from a white pot, showing the chicken curry and rice layers](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_3.jpg) OK wait. Did you almost lose control too? I’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe\! ## Biryani spices There’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce. There’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at everyday supermarkets here in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂 ![Spices for Chicken Biryani](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Spices-for-Chicken-Biryani.jpg) ## Cheeky substitute for fried onions Thin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving. If you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my cheeky alternative is using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or Asian Fried Shallots (pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch\! ![Fried Onions for Biryani](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Fried-Onions-for-Biryani.jpg) ## The roots of this recipe Another recipe ticked off the [Recipe Request](https://www.recipetineats.com/recipes-request/) list, another RecipeTin family effort!\! As always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain [Student Biryani](http://studentbiryani.com.au/) in Auburn, and the Indian restaurant [Paradise Biryani House](http://biryani.com.au/index.html) in North Strathfield. To learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India. Yes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, **it is actually quite a straightforward recipe. (Video is helpful too!) And even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!). – Nagi x ![Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt, ready to be eaten](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Chicken-Biryani_4.jpg) * ## Watch how to make it Subscribe to my [newsletter](https://recipetineats.ck.page/6f68ed0a2d) and follow along on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/RecipeTinEats), [Pinterest](http://www.pinterest.com/recipetin/) and [Instagram](http://instagram.com/recipe_tin) for all of the latest updates. Servings[8](https://www.recipetineats.com/biryani/) Tap or hover to scale Recipe video above. Curried chicken cooked in a pot buried under a mount of fragrant, fluffy rice. Biryani is a celebration of all that we love about Indian food! Make this with other proteins or vegetables – see notes. There’s a load of spices in this – and it’s worth it! (Plus you’ll find everything at every day supermarkets). Spiciness: moderate low. - ▢ 750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1) #### Marinade: - ▢ 2/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain - ▢ 1/2 cup (125 ml) water - ▢ 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil) - ▢ 6 garlic cloves , minced - ▢ 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger - ▢ 1/8 tsp ground turmeric - ▢ 1/4 tsp cinnamon - ▢ 1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste) - ▢ 1/2 tsp ground cardamom - ▢ 2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2) - ▢ 2 tsp coriander - ▢ 1 tbsp cumin - ▢ 2 tbsp paprika , sweet / ordinary (not smoked) - ▢ 1 3/4 tsp salt #### Par Boiled Rice: - ▢ 2 tbsp salt - ▢ 10 cloves - ▢ 5 dried bay leaves - ▢ 1 star anise - ▢ 6 green cardamon pods - ▢ 2 1/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3) #### Crispy Onions (Note 4): - ▢ 2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced - ▢ 1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying #### Saffron: - ▢ 1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5) - ▢ 2 tbsp warm water #### Biryani: - ▢ 1 cup coriander / cilantro , chopped - ▢ 1/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6) #### Garnish: - ▢ Crispy onions (above) - ▢ Chopped coriander / cilantro - ▢ Yoghurt (Note 7) Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping - Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm / 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight. #### Par Boiled Rice: - Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices. - Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking. - Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in) #### Crispy Onions: - Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter. - Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion. #### Saffron: - Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+. #### Biryani: - Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. - Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice. - Remove from heat. - Turn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot. - Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander. - Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface. - Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee. - Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat. - As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes. - Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes. #### To Serve: - Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop. - Turn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt) 1\. Cut the chicken along the bone, keeping the bone in. So one half will have no bone, the other will have the bone. Skin on bone in thighs is the safest to use (forms a protection barrier on base) and yields juicy chicken. Even if you overcook, worst case is crispy chicken skin which protects the flesh and rice. Next best is boneless chicken thighs. I take no responsibility for outcome if breast is used! But here is how I would do it: use whole breast, remove chicken from marinade, simmer marinade on low until it’s almost like a paste. Squidge raw breast back in the “paste”, then follow recipe starting with the onion and coriander layers. This will reduce the time the breast is cooking so keep it as juicy as possible 2\. Garam Masala is an Indian spice mix and you’ll find it in the spices aisle at every day supermarkets in Australia. 3\. Can be substituted with jasmine or long grain rice but be aware that the fragrance will be slightly different. Still super tasty\! 4\. For an easy sub, use store bought crispy fried shallots or onions. The shallots are found in the Asian section of every day supermarkets and Asian stores (cheaper!). Get plenty! Use some in the biryani and lots for garnish\! 5\. Saffron brings a unique flavour to the rice as well as the vibrant yellow colour. But it’s not cheap! If you’re budget doesn’t extend to saffron threads, use the economical saffron powder which is not pure saffron. Mix 1/2 tsp powder with the water and proceed with recipe. 6\. Ghee is clarified butter, follow steps in my [Movie Popcorn](https://www.recipetineats.com/homemade-movie-popcorn/) recipe to make ghee. Otherwise, you’ll find it in the Indian section of some supermarkets (Coles, Harris Farms), or Asian stores. Otherwise, just use butter – not a deal killer here\! 7\. Plain yoghurt is fine. Here’s a quick Raita (Minted Yoghurt, pictured & in video): Mix 1 1/2 cups plain yoghurt with 1/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves with a good pinch of salt and a touch of water to loosen consistency if needed. 8\. Vegetable Biryani – Made it and loved it! Choose any vegetables you like. Suggestions: Capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, peas. Chop into pieces that will roughly be done at the same time when stewed, so that you have about 8 cups in total. Additionally, slice one onion. Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl, with the following changes: 3/4 cup of yoghurt; 300ml /1 1/4 cups water ; 1 tbsp garam marsala; 1 tbsp ground coriander; do not include vegetable oil in the marinade. Use all other spices per recipe. Saute the onion in 4 tbsp of vegetable or coconut oil. When starting to colour, add vegetables (except peas, if using) and marinade. Bring to a simmer and stew the vegetables until they are 50% cooked (softened but still firm), remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas, if using. Continue with the remaining rice cooking, assembly and cooking steps as per main recipe. 9\. Other proteins: Goat, lamb, beef, rabbit. Cut so the meat is jam packed and covers the base of the pot. Add water to marinade so meat is mostly covered, place lid on an simmer on medium low for as long as required so it’s pretty tender. It might take 1 hour or longer, depending on what you use. When tender, remove lid and let the sauce reduce down to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Then proceed with recipe. 10\. GENERAL COMMENTS: \* Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up/down \* Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water\! \* Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste. \* Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years\! \* Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth. 11\. Storage – Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well. Make Ahead – These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe\! Keywords: Biryani ## Life of Dozer This is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.) ![Dozer the golden retriever dog using a plush toy as a pillow](https://www.recipetineats.com/tachyon/2018/08/Dozer-on-shaggy-rug.jpg)
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