Rich Butter Chicken Biryani
A creamy and flavorful biryani made with marinated chicken and aromatic basmati rice.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Large pot
- Claypot
- Blender
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 7 oz chicken breast, cut into pieces
- 0.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 0.25 tsp turmeric powder
- 0.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 6 cashews
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 0.5 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 0.25 cup water (if needed)
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves and/or cilantro
- 0.33 cup crispy fried onions
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well, cover, and let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked rice, salt, mint leaves, half of the whole spices (2 cloves, 1/4 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods, 1/2 bay leaf), and oil. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the rice is 80% done. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Brush the air fryer rack with oil. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces evenly on the rack and optionally brush with a little extra oil. Cook for 9 minutes until the chicken is halfway done. Set aside.
- In a blender, combine the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, and cashews. Blend until smooth. In a claypot, heat butter and add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, and bay leaf. Once aromatic, stir in the onion-tomato-cashew paste and cook until the raw smell disappears and oil separates.
- Add the half-cooked chicken to the masala base. Stir well, then add yogurt and mix. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water. Simmer for 2 minutes, adjusting salt to taste.
- Spread the 80% cooked rice over the chicken and gravy mixture. Sprinkle garam masala on top if desired. Garnish with mint leaves, cilantro, and crispy fried onions. Cover the pot with a tight lid.
- Cook on high flame for 5 minutes, then reduce to low flame and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, covered, for another 5 minutes.
- After resting, gently fluff the rice with a fork or spatula. Serve hot with raita or your favorite side.
Notes
For added flavor, consider adding boiled eggs or vegetables to the biryani. Adjust the spice levels according to your taste preference.