Description
This Chicken Biryani recipe offers a flavorful, aromatic Indian dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked with fragrant spices, basmati rice, and fresh herbs in an Instant Pot. The use of ghee, whole and ground spices, and a mix of cashews and golden raisins enhances the rich taste and texture, delivering an authentic, comforting one-pot meal in just 50 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 15–30 minutes
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 15–30 minutes (for layering)
Spices and Garnish
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- â…“ cup cashews, halved
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 5 cardamom pods
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
Chicken and Spices
- 1 ½ pounds skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into quarters
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Liquids and Herbs
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (divided)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped (divided)
Instructions
- Soak Rice: In a bowl, soak the basmati rice in cold water for 15–30 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside to prevent the rice from becoming sticky and to help achieve long, fluffy grains.
- Sauté Garnish: Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add ghee. Once melted, add the cashews and golden raisins. Stir-fry until the cashews turn golden brown. Remove cashews and raisins and set aside for later garnish.
- Cook Whole Spices: To the same pot, add all the whole spices (cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds). Sauté until they begin to sizzle and release their aroma, about 1-2 minutes.
- Sauté Onions: Add the thinly sliced onion to the pot with the sizzling spices. Stir-fry for 6–7 minutes, or until the onions turn golden brown, providing a rich base flavor for the dish.
- Add Aromatics: Mix in minced garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care to prevent burning.
- Cook Chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Sauté for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside.
- Add Ground Spices: Scatter all the ground spices over the chicken. Thoroughly mix so the chicken is evenly coated in the spices.
- Add Rice and Water: Spread the soaked and drained rice evenly on top of the chicken in the pot without stirring. Pour 1 cup of water evenly over the rice.
- Add Herbs: Sprinkle half of the chopped cilantro and mint leaves over the top of the rice layer to infuse fresh flavor.
- Cook Under Pressure: Secure the Instant Pot lid and close the pressure valve. Cook for 6 minutes at high pressure.
- Release Pressure Naturally: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes to complete the cooking process gently. Afterward, carefully open the valve to release any remaining pressure, then open the lid slowly.
- Finish & Garnish: Discard the whole spices from the pot. Gently fluff the rice to separate grains. Sprinkle the remaining cilantro and mint on top and garnish with the reserved ghee-fried cashews and golden raisins before serving.
Notes
- Soaking basmati rice helps in achieving fluffy and separated grains.
- Adjust cayenne and salt to your spice preference.
- Use fresh herbs to enhance the biryani’s aroma and freshness.
- Ensure not to stir rice into the chicken and spices before pressure cooking to maintain texture.
- Natural pressure release is important to finish cooking rice evenly.
- Ghee can be substituted with clarified butter or oil but ghee adds authentic flavor.
