Chicken Biryani (Pakistani Style)

About This Recipe

Pakistani biryani is its own distinct tradition: the rice is cooked separately to fluffy perfection, the chicken curry (yakhni) is built with deep golden caramelised onions, yoghurt and a layered masala, and the two are assembled in a sealed pot for the final 'dum' steaming. The result is grains of rice that stay separate, each one perfumed with saffron and the steam of the spiced meat below. Every region of Pakistan has its take — Sindhi, Karachi, Lahori — but the shared philosophy is patience, layering and never rushing the onions.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 gchicken thighs(bone-in, skinless)
• 500 gbasmati rice(soaked 30 min)
• 300 gyoghurt(full-fat)
• 3 largeonions(thinly sliced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspginger paste
• 2 tbspbiryani masala
• 1 tspred chilli powder
• 1 tspturmeric
• 4 podsgreen cardamom
• 2 podsblack cardamom
• 1 stickcinnamon
• 4 wholecloves
• 2 leavesbay leaves
• 1 pinchsaffron threads(soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk)
• 100 mlghee
• 1 small bunchfresh mint(chopped)
• 1 small bunchfresh coriander(chopped)
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1 tspsalt(or to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Caramelise onions (birista)

   Fry sliced onions in ghee on medium heat 18–22 minutes until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towel — they should be crisp.

   This is the soul of biryani. Do not rush.

2. 2

   Marinate chicken

   Mix chicken with yoghurt, half the birista, ginger-garlic paste, biryani masala, chilli, turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Rest 30 min.

3. 3

   Cook rice

   Boil 2L water with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and salt. Add rice and cook just until 70% done (firm bite). Drain immediately.

4. 4

   Cook chicken curry

   In the ghee from frying onions, cook the marinated chicken on medium-high until oil separates and chicken is mostly cooked, 15 min.

5. 5

   Layer the biryani

   Spread rice over chicken. Drizzle saffron milk, sprinkle remaining birista, mint and coriander. Cover tightly with foil and lid.

6. 6

   Dum steam

   Cook on lowest heat 25 minutes. Rest 10 minutes off heat before opening.

7. 7

   Serve

   Gently lift from bottom to top to mix layers. Serve with raita and kachumber salad.

Variations

• •

  Use mutton (lamb) instead — increase cook time to 90 min on dum

• •

  Add 2 boiled eggs per person, halved

• •

  Karachi style: add 4 quartered tomatoes and prunes to the masala

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered with a splash of water on low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions