Easy Chicken Biriyani

A simple chicken curry with potatoes gets a royal makeover with Basmati rice, some aromatic spices and home made ghee that ends up creating an elegant Biriyani. This a simple recipe for busy people to give it a try without any fuss. You surely can't get any easier recipe than this and it will be always deliciously devoured by family and guests. 

Biriyani was a royal dish for Nawbabs. It is believed that Biriyani got its name from Persian word "Biriyan" (meaning fries before cooking)and brought to North India by Mughals and Arab traders in South India. Ingredients may vary from region to region and cooked in various styles but the prime ingredient either red meat, chicken, fish or prawn with premium white Basmati rice, homemade pure ghee, aromatic spices, premium saffron and basic curry elements. 

Since Biriyani is a royal dish, so it needs the best ingredients and requires some hard work. We love good Biriyani of course with the best ingredients but less efforts without compromising on taste. This is a kind of Kolkata style Biriyani with potatoes but chicken and rice are not alternately layered. This is semi gravy based chicken curry with some Biriyani flavor cooked 90 percent then layered with 3/4 done Basmati rice, spices, flavorings and fried onions on top of the chicken then slow cooked for ten more minutes with the lid on. This method traps steam to keep the rice perfectly moist and all the Biriyani flavor from chicken and rice are a match made in heaven. The moment you open the lid, the intense aroma will waft through the home. Here is my easy recipe for impromptu Biriyani craving. Make chicken with or without turmeric and paprika. It won't change taste anyway.

Ingredients for the chicken~
1 whole chicken, excess fat removed, cut in small pieces(3lb. bone-in and skinless) or leg and thigh pieces
6- 8 pieces potato chunks

1 cup dried prunes(optional)
1 cup onion, thinly chopped plus 1 cup julienned
1 tbsp. garlic paste
2 tbsp. ginger paste
4-6 hot fresh chili or as per heat tolerance
3/4 cup thick yogurt
1/2 tsp. turmeric  powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1  2"flat cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. whole black pepper(optional)
2 whole green cardamom
1 clove
1 tiny piece of cinnamon stick
1/4 piece nutmeg
1/2 piece mace
3 tbsp. oil plus half cup for fried onions
1 tbsp ghee
A few drops of rose water and kewra water
2 1/2 cups warm water

For the rice~
2 cups of Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in water for 15 minutes, drain it
5 cups of water
1 tbsp salt
2 whole green cardamom
1 clove
1 tiny piece of cinnamon stick
1/8 piece nutmeg
1/4 piece mace
A few drops of rose water and kewra water
A few saffron strands soaked in 1/2 cup or warm milk
1 tbsp melted ghee

Method~
Marinate the chicken pieces with yogurt, salt and turmeric. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. In a large heavy bottomed pan heat oil on high heat and fry julliened onions until brown in two batches. Keep aside. Fry potatoes with some salt and turmeric until light brown. Keep aside. Leave 3 tbsp oil in the pan and remove the rest. Add in ghee in the pan. Saute onion with whole black pepper, bay leaf and flat cinnamon stick for about 6 minutes. Add in ginger-garlic paste and saute for couple of minutes, then add cumin-coriander powder, paprika and cook until they soften. Add the chicken pieces in to the mixture. Keep stirring until the spices coat the chicken nicely for 8-10 minutes and raw smell goes off. Pour in 2 cup warm water, potatoes and whole green chili. Bring to a boil on high heat then let it simmer for 8 minutes with the lid on over low-medium heat. Stir in between so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Gravy needs to be medium thick. Once the chicken and potatoes are tender, pour rose and kewra water. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Grind together cardamom, clove, nutmeg, mace and small cinnamon stick. Turn off the heat and sprinkle spices over the chicken curry and give it a good stir.

While chicken is cooking take big pan and bring water to a full rolling boil. Add in the rice and salt and cook till 3/4 done. Drain right away. Grind together cardamom, clove, nutmeg, mace and small cinnamon stick. Mix saffron soaked milk with rose and kewra water. Lay out chicken in one layer in the pan. Spread 1/4 rice on the top of the chicken, drizzle some saffron milk and melted ghee, sprinkle grind spices and fried onions. Repeat the same process. If using prunes use it too. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat on high flame for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let it cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and wait for 10 more minutes before serving. Gently fluff up the rice layer with a fork then dig a large serving spoon into the pan. Serve with raita and salad. Enjoy Biriyani deliciousness with family and guest.  

Happy cooking!