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Dinner

Chicken Biryani

Marinated chicken thigh and part-cooked basmati layered in one pot and steamed on low heat, then folded together and served in bowls. It reheats cleanly through the week.

Serves
4
Prep
20min
Cook
45min
Total
65min

Programs: Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Lean Bulk and Recomp, Maintenance, Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Cardiometabolic

Chicken Biryani

Per serving

Calories
550kcal
Protein
34.9g
Carbs
70g
Fat
13.4g
Fibre
2.6g

Ingredients

Measurements

For 4 servings · MetricUS

  • 500gboneless, skinless chicken thigh, diced
  • 150gGreek yoghurt, 2%
  • 1 tbspbiryani masala or garam masala
  • 1 tspground coriander
  • ½ tspground cumin
  • ½ tspchilli powder
  • ¼ tspground turmeric
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 300gbasmati rice
  • 2bay leaves
  • 4green cardamom pods
  • 1cinnamon stick
  • 4cloves
  • 1 tspcumin seeds
  • 2 tbspneutral oil
  • 2 mediumonions, thinly sliced
  • 4 clovesgarlic, crushed
  • 20gfresh ginger, gratedthumb-sized piece
  • 1 mediumtomato, chopped
  • 2green chillies, slit
  • 1 tspgaram masala
  • 2 tbspcoriander leaves, chopped
  • 1 tbspmint leaves, chopped
  • 1 pinchsaffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milkoptional
  • 1 lbboneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
  • 2/3 cupGreek yogurt, 2%
  • 1 tbspbiryani masala or garam masala
  • 1 tspground coriander
  • ½ tspground cumin
  • ½ tspchili powder
  • ¼ tspground turmeric
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 1½ cupbasmati rice
  • 2bay leaves
  • 4green cardamom pods
  • 1cinnamon stick
  • 4cloves
  • 1 tspcumin seeds
  • 2 tbspneutral oil
  • 2 mediumonions, thinly sliced
  • 4 clovesgarlic, crushed
  • ¾ ozfresh ginger, gratedroughly 20g
  • 1 mediumtomato, chopped
  • 2green chilies, slit
  • 1 tspgaram masala
  • 2 tbspcilantro, chopped
  • 1 tbspmint leaves, chopped
  • 1 pinchsaffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milkoptional

Method

  1. Marinate the chicken.

    Stir the yoghurt, biryani masala, coriander, cumin, chilli powder, turmeric and salt together. Coat the diced chicken thigh and leave for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for more flavour.

  2. Par-cook the rice.

    Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil with the bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. Add the rice and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until par-cooked, still firm at the centre. Drain.

  3. Build the curry base.

    Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Cook the onions for 10 to 12 minutes until deep golden.

    Stir in the garlic and ginger for a minute, then add the tomato and green chillies. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato softens.

  4. Cook the chicken.

    Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mostly cooked through and the sauce has thickened around it. Stir in the garam masala.

  5. Layer and dum.

    Scatter half the coriander and mint over the chicken. Spoon the par-cooked rice on top in an even layer. Drizzle over the saffron milk if using, and scatter the remaining herbs.

    Cover tightly with a lid and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, undisturbed, until the rice finishes steaming through.

  6. Rest and serve.

    Rest off the heat, still covered, for 10 minutes. Fold the layers together gently before serving in four bowls.

Add this recipe to your meal plan for the week.

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