Chicken Biryani

Name: Chicken Biryani
Total time: 7200 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk yogurt; 1 Tbsp grated ginger; 1 Tbsp garlic, minced; 1 lb chicken thighs; 1 onion, sliced thin; 4 Tbsp ghee; 1 box Shan biryani seasoning; 1 lb basmati rice; 3 star anise; 2 Bay leaves; 4 green cardamom pods; 4 whole cloves; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 2 Tbsp milk; 1 pinch saffron

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

Nyack, NY

This dish may take a little while, but the steamed rice comes out ethereal, fragranced with the whole spices. I used Shan brand biryani seasoning per the recommendation of my friend who grew up making this dish. Remember to remove the whole spices before eating. Serve with yogurt tossed with cucumbers, or if you can find it, fermented curried limes.

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

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Ingredients

120 mins

4 servings

1 cupwhole milk yogurt
1 Tbspgrated ginger
1 Tbspgarlic, minced
1 lbchicken thighs
1onion, sliced thin
4 Tbspghee
1 boxShan biryani seasoning
1 lbbasmati rice
3star anise
2Bay leaves
4green cardamom pods
4whole cloves
1 tspwhole black peppercorns
1 1/2 tspsalt
2 Tbspmilk
1 pinchsaffron

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Steps

120 mins

1

Pretty heat the oven to 350 F
2

Mix the yogurt, ginger and garlic in a medium bowl and then coat the chicken with the mixture. Allow to marinate for up to 2 hours.
3

Heat the milk to steaming in a small bowl and add the saffron to steep while the rest is being prepared.
4

Saute the onion in the ghee in a Dutch oven or a deep oven proof skillet with a lid.
5

I used Shan biryani seasoning at the recommendation of my friend who grew up with this. I'm sure you could also use any recipe for biryani seasoning found online.
6

When the onions are starting to brown, add the spices and continue cooking, scraping the bottom for ~1 min
7

Add the chicken and yogurt mixture to the onions and continue to cook ~ 5 min, flipping once and scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.
8

Add the whole spices, salt and 2 quarts water to a 3 quart pot. Bring to a boil.
9

Add the rice to the water and bring to a boil. Boil two minutes, and then drain, reserving the whole spices.
10

Add the drained Rice and the reserved spices to the chicken.
11

Drizzle the saffron milk over the rice.
12

Place a wetted wax paper sheet on the top of the rice.
13

Soak and ring out a dish towel and then place on top of the wax paper.
14

Place a lid on dutch oven and bake 1 hour at 350. Turn the oven off and then let dish sit inside the oven another 30 min.
15

Serve with yogurt mixed with cucumbers or preserved curried limes.