Chicken Biryani

Name: Chicken Biryani
Total time: 5400 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 4-6 chicken thighs, thawed and patted dry with paper towels; 3 Tbsp Greek yogurt (& 1/4 cup extra to reserve for later); 1 Tbsp biryani masala (1 tsp reserved for later); 1/4 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp lemon juice; 1 large garlic clove, minced; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1/2 tsp mild paprika; Salt and red chili powder to taste; 3 Tbsp vegetable oil; 1 small bay leaf; 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder; 2-3 green cardamoms; 1 small star anise; 1/4 tsp fennel seeds; 1 large red onion, cut into rings; 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste; as needed Chopped coriander; Salt to taste; 2 cups basmati rice; 3 cups salted water or vegetable/chicken broth; 1 small onion, thinly sliced

Bianca Mwale @bianca_eatsy

Zomba, Malawi

A visit to the museum directed my curiosity to the spice aisles of all supermarkets in Nairobi. Funny as it is that the museum has a section dedicated to exhibiting spices/foodstuffs introduced in Kenya by the Asian community, Kenya is like a spice heaven for me.

Today (October 10th) Kenya celebrates national unity, social fairness and long term development by observing a holiday termed ‘Huduma Day’. Being my first holiday here, I thought to explore with the wide spice variety that the country offers hence this Chicken Biryani recipe which I believe might have influenced the Kenyan Rice Pilau (I could be wrong, after all I just got here).

Bianca Mwale @bianca_eatsy

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Ingredients

1 hr 30 min

4 servings

Marinade
4-6chicken thighs, thawed and patted dry with paper towels
3 TbspGreek yogurt (& 1/4 cup extra to reserve for later)
1 Tbspbiryani masala (1 tsp reserved for later)
1/4 tspturmeric
2 tsplemon juice
1large garlic clove, minced
2 tspminced garlic
1/2 tspmild paprika
Salt and red chili powder to taste
Chicken
3 Tbspvegetable oil
1small bay leaf
1/4 tspcinnamon powder
2-3green cardamoms
1small star anise
1/4 tspfennel seeds
1large red onion, cut into rings
1 tspginger and garlic paste
as neededChopped coriander
Salt to taste
Assembling Biryani
2 cupsbasmati rice
3 cupssalted water or vegetable/chicken broth
1small onion, thinly sliced

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Steps

1 hr 30 min

1

Slit chicken for maximum penetration of flavor, massage marinade into chicken and marinate in the fridge overnight
2

In a heavy bottom nonstick pot, heat oil on medium heat. Fry whole spices until sizzling and not burnt
3

Stir in the onion and fry until golden, followed by the ginger garlic paste and sauté until dry and fragrant
4

Add chicken to the pot and cook stirring for 5 minutes just to get it pale and mixed with the pot contents. Turn heat down to low, cover pot and cook chicken until tender and moisture evaporates. Once moisture has evaporated from the chicken, thoroughly mix in reserved yogurt and biryani masala, and coriander
5

Rinse rice 3 times to get rid of starch, drain and soak for 20 mins. Drain again and set aside in a colander to drain completely
6

Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil in a separate pot. In a small pan, sauté onions until browned. Set aside for layering the biryani
7

Layer biryani by placing chicken thighs flat at the bottom of the pot, followed by the rice. Now gently pour the first 2 cups of the boiled salted water against the sides of the pot and the last cup on top of the rice in an evenly possible layer
8

Top with the reserved fried onions and more coriander. Cover and cook slowly until dry and fluffy (15 - 20 minutes undisturbed)
9

Taste for doneness, cover and rest pot off the heat for 15 - 30 minutes then fluffy up. Serve with a lemon wedge and a salad of choice