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CHICKEN TIKKA BIRYANI

An authentic rice dish made with chicken tikka and aromatic whole spices
Print Recipe
Servings 6 People

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • mixing bowls
  • 2 pots with lid
  • deep round pan ( karahi ) optional
  • sieve
  • muslin cloth
  • aluminium foil
  • 2 ladles

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken (with bones cut into medium pieces)
  • You can also use boneless chicken 750g or 6 leg pieces ( with thigh)
  • 750 g rice (preferably sella rice/ biryani rice)
  • Wash and soak the rice for about an hour
  • ½ cup cooking oil
  • 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 medium size onions (sliced)
  • 2-3 tsp cumin seeds
  • Whole garam masala:
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 4-5 green cardamom pods
  • 4 black cardamom
  • 6-8 peppercorn
  • 6-8 cloves
  • 2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 3 tsp saunf powder (fennel seeds powder)

Marinade for chicken:

  • 2 tbsp yoghurt
  • 3 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • Salt
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tsp zeera powder (powdered cumin seeds)
  • 2 tsp black pepper powder
  • ½ tsp deep orange food colour
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • Marinate the chicken with the above ingredients (except oil) and keep aside for at least an hour. If time allows, its best to leave it for longer.

Garnishing

  • 2 medium size onions ( sliced and deep fried in golden brown colour)
  • Mix 3 tsp kewra water and ½ tsp deep orange food colour

Instructions
 

Chicken

  • In a flat large pan, add cooking oil and place chicken pieces on it on a medium high flame.
  • Turn the pieces after they turn light brown on one side.
  • Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Check the pieces, they would have turned light brown at the other side as well.
  • Dry out any water left (if any released from the chicken). Chicken pieces should be cooked and tender from inside by now and a brown crisp outer layer on both sides.
  • Heat oil in a karahi ( deep round pan) and deep fry chicken on high heat for 2-3 minutes for a more crisp coating.

Rice

  • Start boiling the rice on one side with about 2-3 tbsp salt and about a litre of water. You need to make sure there’s enough water for the rice to boil properly. Doesn’t matter if the water is excess.
  • Meanwhile, In a large pot, fry onions until golden (2 medium size sliced). Also add the cumin seeds and whole spices.
  • When they start splattering, add in ginger garlic paste, suanf powder, salt and garam masala powder. Fry for few minutes.
  • Add about two cups of water and let it boil. 
  • Check the rice, when its about 80% cooked, drain the water. Its important that the rice is not fully cooked at this point, because we will need to steam cook further in the process.
  • Add the rice to the prepared masala while its steaming hot and gently mix. Adjust the quantity of water and make sure there’s some moisture in the rice to allow it to steam cook. 
  • Place the prepared chicken pieces on top of the rice and cover tightly. Leave it on a medium flame to build the steam and then leave it on low flame for about 20 minutes. The lid should be absolutely tight at this point. Use aluminium foil or a moist cloth with the lid to secure it tightly.
  • Remove the lid and mix very gently the rice and chicken pieces turning just twice. Be very careful not to break the rice as it will be very soft at this point. Finally sprinkle both the garnishing and a dollop of butter ghee. Cover and steam cook for another 20 minutes. Serve the biryani with raita ( a yoghurt dip accompanied with biryani)

Notes

  • During the process of steamed slow cooking, it’s very important to make sure there’s enough steam inside the pot.