Hyderbadi Chicken Biryani Rice

Chicken and Rice prepared the richly flavorful, Biryani way with tons of aromatics and spices from India

HYDERABADI  CHICKEN  BIRYANI RICE

3 large red onions, sliced very thin

Vegetable oil for frying

2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

4 tablespoons yogurt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder

3 teaspoons ginger paste (or 1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced)

1 tsp garlic paste (or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed)

 Juice of 1 lemon

2 red chilis (the small red ones, or a Poblano, amount to your taste)

2 cinnamon sticks

12 green cardamom pods (or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 2 teaspoons ground cumin)

6 whole cloves

Salt to taste

1 bunch mint (optional)

1 bunch coriander (or parsley if preferred)

4 ½ cups Basmati rice  

      -Begin by sauteing the sliced onions in batches, in 2 inches of hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until golden brown.

      -In a large dutch oven or stewing pot, combine yogurt, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, ginger, garlic, one cinnamon stick, 8 cardamom,pods, 1 green chili,sliced thin, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 4 whole cloves and a teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1/3 of the crispy onions and mix well. Add chicken, coating pieces well with the marinade and marinate for 4 - 24 hours in the refrigerator.

     -Place the rice in a strainer and rinse 2 times with running cold water. Then add water to cover the rice for 40 minutes. Set aside.

     -In a large saucepan, filled halfway with water, add 1 tablespoon salt, 1 green chilli sliced lengthwise in half, 6 green cardamoms, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and bring to a simmer.

     -Drain the rice and add to the simmering water, stir once and cook for 6-8 minutes or until it’s just barely done. You still want a bit of bite to the rice. Strain the water from the rice and set rice aside.

     -Place the pot with the marinated chicken on the stove over medium-high heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes. Remove half of the chicken, then sprinkle half of the rice over the chicken in the pot. Next, add a layer of the crispy onions, some mint and coriander.  Place the rest of the chicken on top and repeat the layers with the rice, crispy onions and herbs.

     -Place a tea towel over the top of the pot then cover with a securely fitting lid. Be sure the edges of the tea towel are turned up over the pot to prevent them from burning on the stove element. Turn the heat to medium high for 10 minutes, then turn it down to very low for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it rest for 20 minutes before taking removing the lid.

-Fluff the top layer of rice gently with a fork and arrange the Biryani on a serving platter, spooning the rice and chicken on to the platter to try to preserve the layers. Garnish with toasted almonds and additional chopped cilantro or parsley. Place a couple of cinnamon sticks and whole cloves at each end as a deocrative element if desired. Serve warm.  Serves 8 – 10. 

Saute the slivered onions until they are deeply caramelized and crispy.

Mix the marinade of yogurt and spices with the chicken and allow to marinate several hours.

Cook the chicken and marinated mixture for 10 minutes over medium-high heat.

In a large pot, layer half the rice over the par-cooked chicken.

Add a layer of crispy onions. Repeat the chicken, then the rice and finally the onion layers one more time.

Garnish the stop with chopped cilantro/parsley and mint (if desired).

Arrange cooked chicken and rice on platter, trying to preserve the layers as much as possible.

Garnish with toasted almonds and more chopped cilantro/parsley.

A beautiful tray of deeply satisfying tender chicken and rice, rich with aromatics and Indian spices!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

*Basmati rice is traditional in Indian cooking but may be substituted with Texmati rice or other long-grain rices. Jasmine rice isn’t quite right for this recipe as it has a distinctive flavor that is better left to other Asian cuisines.

*If preferred, other cuts of chicken can be used, however thighs are generally more tender and flavorful. I sometimes use half thighs and half sliced breasts. You will also get more intense chicken flavor if you use cuts of chicken on the bone, however, I find it less satisfying to serve chicken on the bone. If doing so, you can remove the chicken from the bone before serving and still develop the rich chicken flavor the “bone-in” chicken cuts provide.