Inspiring vegetarian recipes
Try our vibrant veggie dishes, from meat-free lasagne to vegetable curry and vegetarian chilli
Chicken biryani
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + marinating
- Easy
- Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 800g chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into large pieces
MARINADE
- a pinch saffron
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- a large bunch mint, chopped
- 3 green chillies, halved
- 8cm piece cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp milk
- 100g greek yogurt
RICE
- a thumb-sized piece ginger, shredded
- 1 green chilli, cut in half
- 1 stick cinnamon
- a small bunch mint, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 400g long-grain basmati rice, washed and drained
TO ASSEMBLE
- a pinch saffron, soaked in 100ml milk
- 1 tbsp rose water
- a pinch cardamon powder
- 2 onions, thinly sliced and fried in 1 tbsp of oil until very soft
- mint yogurt, to serve
- mini poppadoms, to serve
Method
- STEP 1
To make the marinade, soak the saffron in 50ml of boiling water in a small bowl.
- STEP 2
Leave for 10 minutes then put in a large bowl with the chicken and remaining marinade ingredients, except the yogurt.
- STEP 3
Mix really well, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- STEP 4
An hour before cooking, stir in the yogurt and marinate for a further hour.
- STEP 5
For the rice, bring 2 litres of water to a boil in a large pan.
- STEP 6
Add the ginger, green chilli, cinnamon, mint, bay leaves and sea salt.
- STEP 7
Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rice and simmer gently for 10 minutes with a lid on. Strain the rice and cool to room temperature.
- STEP 8
In a wide casserole dish over a low heat, add the chicken and all of its marinade. Slowly bring to a simmer.
- STEP 9
Layer the rice over the chicken, then pour over the saffron-infused milk, rose water and cardamom powder, and spread the onions evenly over the surface.
- STEP 10
Put a clean, damp tea towel over the pan, with a lid on top. Simmer gently for 90 minutes on a low heat.
- STEP 11
To serve, stir the biryani gently so as not to break up the rice grains.
- STEP 12
Serve with the mint yogurt and mini poppadoms.
