Pakistani-Style Chicken Biryani with Saffron and Crispy Onions

Recipe details

Yield

6 people

Prep time

40 minutes

Cook time

1 hour 15 minutes

Total time

1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2½ lb Chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed, halal, skin removed, patted dry
• 1 cup Plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tbsp Fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (or use paprika for less heat)
• ½ tsp Ground turmeric
• 1½ tsp Salt (for the marinade)
• 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups Basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 3 large Large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup Ghee (halal-certified)
• 6 pods Whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 cloves Whole cloves
• 1 stick Cinnamon stick, about 2 inches long
• 2 leaves Bay leaves
• ¼ tsp Saffron threads
• ¼ cup Whole milk, warmed
• as needed Water (for parboiling rice)
• 1 tbsp Salt (for rice water)
• ½ cup Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup Fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 chilies Green chilies, slit lengthwise (serrano or Thai green chilies)
• 1 medium English cucumber, grated and excess water squeezed out (for raita)
• 1½ cups Plain whole-milk yogurt (for raita)
• 2 tbsp Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (for raita)
• ¼ tsp Ground cumin, toasted (for raita)
• ½ tsp Salt (for raita)

Instructions

1. Rinse 3 cups basmati rice in a colander under cold water, swirling gently, until the water runs clear (this removes excess starch and keeps the grains separate). Drain and set aside.
2. Peel and grate 2 tbsp fresh ginger.
3. Mince 6 cloves garlic.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 6 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1½ tsp salt, and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
5. Add 2½ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed to the yogurt mixture and toss to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate while you prep the rest (or leave at room temperature if you're moving quickly).
6. Thinly slice 3 large yellow onions.
7. Heat ½ cup ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 3 large onions, thinly sliced and fry, stirring often, until they turn deep golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Watch closely near the end so they don't burn. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve the ghee left in the pan.
8. While the onions fry, lightly crush 6 whole green cardamom pods with the side of a knife.
9. Bring a large pot of water (about 8 cups) to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp salt, 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed, 4 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 2 bay leaves. Stir in the rinsed 3 cups basmati rice and parboil for exactly 5 minutes (the rice should be about 70% cooked, still firm in the center). Drain immediately in a colander and set aside.
10. While the rice parboils, warm ¼ cup whole milk in a small bowl in the microwave or on the stove. Crumble in ¼ tsp saffron threads and let steep.
11. Roughly chop ½ cup fresh cilantro and ¼ cup fresh mint leaves.
12. Slit 2 green chilies lengthwise.
13. In your large heavy-bottomed pot, spread half of the marinated chicken in an even layer on the bottom. Drizzle over half of the reserved ghee from frying the onions.
14. Scatter half of the parboiled rice over the chicken. Sprinkle over half of the crispy fried onions, half of the ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, half of the ¼ cup chopped fresh mint, and the 2 slit green chilies. Drizzle half of the saffron milk over the rice.
15. Repeat the layering: add the remaining chicken, then the remaining rice, then the remaining crispy onions (reserve a small handful for garnish), remaining cilantro, remaining mint, and remaining saffron milk. Drizzle any remaining ghee over the top.
16. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. If your lid doesn't seal well, lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the pot first, then press the lid down on top. Place the pot over high heat for 3 minutes to build up steam.
17. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and let the biryani cook undisturbed for 45 minutes. The rice will finish cooking in the steam, and the flavors will meld.
18. While the biryani steams, make the raita. Grate 1 medium English cucumber and squeeze out the excess water with your hands or a clean kitchen towel.
19. Toast ¼ tsp ground cumin in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Let cool.
20. Finely chop 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves for the raita.
21. In a medium bowl, stir together 1½ cups plain whole-milk yogurt, the grated and drained cucumber, 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint, ¼ tsp toasted ground cumin, and ½ tsp salt. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Refrigerate until serving.
22. After 45 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
23. Remove the lid and gently fluff the biryani with a fork, mixing the layers so you get rice, chicken, and crispy onions in every scoop. Transfer to a large serving platter and scatter the reserved crispy onions over the top.