Sri Lankan Tomato Pepper Chicken Biryani

About This Recipe

Sri Lankan biryani carries its own distinct identity, shaped by centuries of Malay, South Indian and local Sri Lankan influence, typically using a generous hand with black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, and often a tangier, more tomato-forward masala than its North Indian cousin. This version leans into that tomato-and-pepper character, building a well-spiced chicken curry base first before layering it with partially cooked basmati rice and steaming everything together the traditional dum way. The chicken is marinated in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper, a defining feature of Sri Lankan biryani that sets it apart from milder regional versions. A tomato-onion masala, cooked down until deeply fragrant, forms the base the chicken simmers in before the rice — parboiled separately with whole spices — is layered on top. Sealing the pot tightly and cooking on very low heat for the final steaming stage, sometimes called dum, is what melds the rice and curry flavors together into a proper biryani rather than just a chicken-and-rice dish served side by side.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgbone-in chicken pieces
• 0.5 cupplain yogurt
• 1.5 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 2 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 2onions(thinly sliced)
• 3tomatoes(chopped)
• 2green chiles(slit)
• 1cinnamon stick
• 4green cardamom pods
• 4cloves
• 2bay leaves
• 2 cupsbasmati rice(rinsed and soaked 20 minutes)
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 3 tbspfried onions(for layering)
• 3 tbspfresh cilantro and mint(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Combine chicken, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, black pepper and turmeric. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

2. 2

   Cook the masala

   Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook onions 10 minutes until golden, then add tomatoes and green chiles and cook 8 minutes until soft and jammy.

3. 3

   Cook the chicken curry

   Add the marinated chicken to the masala, along with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until the chicken is nearly cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

4. 4

   Parboil the rice

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soaked rice and cook 6-7 minutes until about 70 percent cooked, still firm at the center. Drain.

5. 5

   Layer the biryani

   Spread half the parboiled rice over the chicken curry, scatter with fried onions and half the herbs, then top with remaining rice and herbs.

6. 6

   Steam on dum

   Cover the pot tightly with foil, then a lid, and cook over very low heat 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully tender and fragrant.

7. 7

   Serve

   Let rest 10 minutes off heat before gently folding the layers together and serving.

Variations

• •

  Beef version: substitute bone-in beef pieces for chicken, extending the curry simmering time to about 45 minutes until tender.

• •

  Extra heat: increase the number of green chiles or add a pinch of chile powder to the masala for a spicier biryani.

• •

  Vegetable biryani: replace the chicken with a mix of potato, carrot and green peas, simmered in the same masala.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water, or in the microwave, to keep the rice from drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions