Chicken 65 Biryani
Layers of crispy classic chicken 65 and spiced basmati rice for a satisfying meal.
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Ingredients
Chicken 65:
- 1 kg chicken breast or thighs, diced into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1 egg
- Juice of 1 lemon
- A pinch of red food coloring
Fried onions:
- 3 large onions, sliced
- Oil, for deep frying
Saffron milk:
- 4 saffron strands
- 2 tablespoons milk
Rice:
- 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Lemon slices
- Salt to taste
Biryani masala:
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ½ cup canned tomatoes or 1 tomato chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- Salt to taste
For layering:
- 3 tablespoons chopped mint and coriander (cilantro) leaves
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon rose water
Garnish:
- Fried onions
- Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- Toasted cashew nuts (optional)
To serve:
- Raita
- Papadums
Instructions
Make chicken 65:
- Place chicken in a large bowl.
- Add ground turmeric, ground cumin, red chili powder, garam masala, cornstarch (corn flour), egg, lemon juice and red food colouring (if using). Season with salt.
- Toss to coat chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil for deep frying. Fry chicken until golden and crisp.
Fried onions:
- Heat oil for deep frying. Add onions.
- Fry, stirring, for about 5-6 minutes or until golden. Reserve 2 tablespoons of onions to garnish.
Saffron milk:
- Combine together saffron strands and milk in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Cook rice:
- Soak basmati rice for about 20 minutes. Drain.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds and lemon slices. Season with salt.
- Add rice and cook until 90% done (grains should be still firm). Drain.
Prepare biryani masala:
- Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add ghee and oil.
- Add dried red chilies and curry leaves. Saute, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Saute, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add ground turmeric, red chili powder, ground coriander and garam masala. Saute, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add fried onions. Stir to combine.
- Add yogurt. Pour in water. Season with salt. Stir to combine.
- Add half of fried chicken. Stir to combine. Add chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
For layering:
- Add half of rice over the biryani masala. Top with half of the remaining chicken 65.
- Add another layer of rice followed by saffron milk, rose water, ghee and remaining chicken 65.
- Cover with a tight fitting lid.
- Reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.
Garnish:
- Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves, remaining fried onions and toasted cashew nuts (if using).
- Gently fluff the biryani. Serve with raita and papadums.
Video
Notes
How to store:
- Let biryani cool for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.
- Divide into small portions and store in airtight containers so you only reheat what you need.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Freeze for about 3 weeks.
- Fry chicken 65, cook rice, and make biryani masala and store them separately.
- When it’s time to eat, layer all the elements, and add ghee, saffron milk and rose water. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Garnish and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 2746kcal | Carbohydrates: 489g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 254mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 1140mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1310IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 421mg | Iron: 10mg