Weeknight Chicken Dum Biryani

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

All the fragrance and drama of a layered biryani, streamlined for a home kitchen and one heavy pot. Yoghurt-marinated chicken thighs, saffron milk, crisp fried onions and rice steamed until every grain is separate and perfumed.

Per serving: 790 kcal · 38.0g protein · 90.0g carbs · 30.0g fat

Ingredients

• 350g basmati rice
• 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
• 150g full-fat plain yoghurt
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1.5 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp salt, plus more for the rice
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• large handful coriander leaves, chopped
• handful mint leaves, chopped
• 1 green chilli, slit (optional)
• big pinch saffron soaked in 4 tbsp warm milk
• 2 tbsp warm water

Method

1. Mix the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, ground cumin, 1.5 tsp salt and lemon juice. Fold in the chicken and leave for 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
2. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until it runs clear, then soak in fresh water for 20 minutes.
3. Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a wide heavy pot and fry the sliced onions over medium heat, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes until deep golden. Lift out two-thirds onto kitchen paper and reserve for layering.
4. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cumin seeds to the onions left in the pot and sizzle 30 seconds. Tip in the marinated chicken and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes until the yoghurt thickens and clings. Turn off the heat and level the chicken in the pot.
5. Meanwhile bring a large pan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Drain the rice and boil for 4-5 minutes only, until the grains are soft at the edges but firm in the centre. Drain immediately.
6. Scatter half the parboiled rice over the chicken, then half the reserved fried onions, coriander, mint and green chilli. Add the remaining rice, then the rest of the onions and herbs.
7. Spoon the saffron milk over the surface in streaks, drizzle with the last tbsp of ghee and the warm water. Cover tightly with foil, then the lid.
8. Cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes (set the pot on a heat diffuser or an empty frying pan if your hob runs hot). Rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.
9. Open at the table, then dig down with a spoon to lift the layers together. Serve with cucumber-mint raita.