Easy Chicken Biryani made by layering rice, marinated chicken, onions and wonderfully fragrant spices. Healthy and Gluten Free.
If you want to make the crispy onions to garnish this dish, it's easier to make them ahead of time. Start by finely evenly slicing the onions very thin using a mandoline or food processor.
Pat the onion slices with paper towels to make them a little more dry before you fry them.
Now add about an inch of oil to a heavy bottomed pan such as a cast iron skillet and get it to a medium high heat, then add the onions in small batches, don't crowd the pan.
Fry them, stirring frequently, for 5-10 minutes, or more, until they start to brown. Then remove them to a plate lined with a paper towel. They continue to brown after you remove them from the oil, so don't wait until they are dark brown.
Marinate the chicken in greek yoghurt mixed with turmeric, chilli powder, lemon juice, salt, garlic, ginger. Set aside and marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight.
Warm the milk and then add a pinch of saffron threads, stir a couple of times, and set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed pan, Add the sliced onion and fry gently in oil until soft for 10-12 minutes over a low-medium heat.
While the onions are cooking, rinse the basmati rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear and most of the starch is removed.
Add the rinsed basmati rice into a large pot of boiling water and bring back to the boil, then simmer, cover and cook for ten minutes, then drain. It will not be fully cooked at this point.
Once the onions have cooked for 10 minutes add the green cardamom pods, cumin seeds, coriander powder, and Jalapenos and cook for a few seconds.
Add the marinated chicken and salt to the pot with the softened onions, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking the chicken for 3-4 minutes to seal the chicken pieces, add a little more oil if you need to.
Lower the heat again, add 1/4 cup (60mls) water and gently simmer with the lid off for 5 minutes.
Stir the chicken half way through cooking making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Take the pan off the heat and scoop out half the chicken and onion mixture.
Add half the partly cooked rice over the top of the chicken mixture still in the pan, along with the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.
Drizzle on half of the saffron milk, 1/2 tbsp chopped mint, and 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves.
layer again with the remaining chicken and onion mixture, the rest of the rice, 1/2 tbsp chopped mint, and 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves, and the rest of the saffron milk.
Put the pan back on a very low heat (lid on) for 6 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time or the rice and chicken may not cook fully.
Once the cook time is up, turn the heat off under the pan and leave the lid on for 10 minutes, then serve hot.
Serve garnished with crispy onions if using, mint and cilantro leaves, and serve with Indian raita
NUTRITION FACTS - do not include the oil and onions for the crispy onions added to the top of the finished dish.
JALAPENO PEPPERS - If you prefer a little more heat, then Serrano peppers would be a good alternative, or you could simply add more Jalapeno Peppers instead.
Adapted from Maunika Gowardhan
found on www.noshtastic.com