Chicken Biryani

I’ll admit it — chicken biryani was always one of those dishes I’d heard about more than actually experienced. Before making this recipe, I’d never ordered it at an Indian restaurant and honestly wasn’t entirely sure what all went into it. My only real introduction to biryani was at an Indian-themed Sunday dinner a few years ago when a guest brought a homemade version. It was memorable, but somehow I never circled back to making it myself… until now.

And now I’m wondering what took me so long.

This dish checks just about every box for me: chicken, garam masala, rice, garlic, ginger — basically a lineup of flavors I already know I love. On paper, there was no way this shouldn’t work for me.

Overall, this biryani was really good, but I did run into a couple hiccups along the way. The biggest issue was the instant basmati rice I used. It had a slightly odd flavor that threw me off a bit — lacking that light, clean, aromatic basmati taste I was expecting. Next time I’d definitely go with regular basmati rice instead.

It also ended up a little saltier than I anticipated, which surprised me because I barely salted the marinade and even used low-sodium chicken stock. It wasn’t overpowering by any means, but enough that I noticed it.

And fair warning: this dish brings some heat. Between the garam masala and chili powder, there was definitely a spicy kick happening. I personally enjoyed it, but if you’re spice-sensitive you may want to dial the chili powder back a touch.

Even with those small issues, the flavor combination here was fantastic. The warm spices, savory chicken, and fragrant rice all worked beautifully together. With a few little tweaks, this could easily become one of those recipes I make on repeat.

Chicken Biryani

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/2 c whole plain yogurt
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 to 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 T ghee or butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger, grated
• 2 packages (8.5 oz each) instant basmati rice
• 1/4 chicken stock or water
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and lemon juice and mix until combined. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least one hour, and up to 4 hours.

When chicken is done marinating, heat the ghee or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 2 minutes more.

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

Stir in rice and cilantro, and pour chicken stock or water over the top. Cover and let simmer until rice is soft and everything is heated through, 3-4 minutes. Serve and enjoy!