Weeknight Chicken Biryani with Crispy Onions

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

A properly fragrant layered biryani that fits into a single evening. Yoghurt-marinated chicken thighs, half-cooked basmati, saffron milk and a generous heap of golden fried onions steam together into something far greater than the sum of its parts.

Per serving: 755 kcal · 40.0g protein · 80.0g carbs · 30.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
• 300g basmati rice
• 150g full-fat natural yoghurt
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1.5 tsp garam masala
• 1 green chilli, slit
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads
• 3 tbsp warm milk
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. Mix the chicken with yoghurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, ground coriander, chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, lime juice and 1 tsp salt. Leave to marinate while you prepare everything else (20 minutes minimum).
2. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then soak in fresh cold water for 20 minutes.
3. Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a wide heavy pan over medium heat and fry the sliced onions, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Lift out two-thirds onto kitchen paper and set aside.
4. Add the cumin seeds, 2 cardamom pods, half the cinnamon and 1 clove to the onions left in the pan. Sizzle 30 seconds, then add the marinated chicken and green chilli. Cook over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes until the yoghurt tightens into a thick clinging gravy. Stir in half the coriander and mint.
5. Meanwhile bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil with the remaining cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Drain the rice, add it and boil for exactly 5 minutes, until the grains are soft at the edges but firm in the centre. Drain well.
6. Soak the saffron in the warm milk.
7. Spread the chicken evenly in the base of the pan. Pile the drained rice on top, scatter over the reserved crispy onions, remaining herbs, remaining 1/2 tsp garam masala, the last 1 tbsp ghee in dots, and drizzle the saffron milk across the surface.
8. Cover tightly with foil then a lid. Cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes, then rest off the heat, still covered, for 10 minutes.
9. Uncover, dig down to the bottom with a large spoon and lift the layers gently onto plates so everyone gets rice, chicken and onions. Serve with cucumber raita.