Chicken biryani
Prep time: 40 minsTotal time: 
Chicken biryani
There’s a bit of preparation involved in this dish, but if you tackle it upfront, you will have few complaints later. Just don’t be put off by the long ingredients list – each one builds flavour and the steps are simple
Prep time: 40 minsTotal time: 
Brin Pirathapan
Since winning MasterChef in 2024, Brin Pirathapan has been impressing home cooks with vibrant, flavour-driven dishes inspired by his Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and UK upbringing. His debut cookbook, Elevate, showcases his passion for transforming classic recipes into exciting, accessible meals. Brin also writes our Master the Classics feature, helping our readers find the perfect way to pull off familiar recipes
Brin Pirathapan
Since winning MasterChef in 2024, Brin Pirathapan has been impressing home cooks with vibrant, flavour-driven dishes inspired by his Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and UK upbringing. His debut cookbook, Elevate, showcases his passion for transforming classic recipes into exciting, accessible meals. Brin also writes our Master the Classics feature, helping our readers find the perfect way to pull off familiar recipes
Ingredients
For the biryani masala (or see Kitchen tip)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- ½ tbsp cumin seeds
- ½ tbsp caraway seeds
- 6 cardamom pods, seeds removed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 star anise
- ½ whole nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
For the chicken marinade
- 2 x 540g packs chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 5cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated (or 2 tbsp ginger paste)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 green chillies, finely sliced
- 3 tbsp natural yogurt
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fine salt
For the crispy onions
- 3 onions, finely sliced
- 250ml vegetable oil
For the rice
- 400g Taste the Difference Extra Long Basmati Rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
To assemble
- pinch of saffron
- 50ml milk
- 2 tbsp ghee (or more vegetable oil)
- 20g mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
- 20g coriander leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
Step by step
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Start by making the biryani masala. Put all the ingredients in a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Add to a spice blender or mortar and grind to a powder.
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Put the chicken in a large, non-metallic bowl with 3 tablespoons of the biryani masala and all of the marinade ingredients. Get your hands stuck in and massage well, then cover and chill for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
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To make the crispy onions, put the onions and oil in a cold frying pan. Set over a medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are a deep-brown colour. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
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Rinse the rice thoroughly with cold water until the water runs clear. Put the drained rice in a pan with 1 litre of cold water, the bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom. Place over a medium heat and cook until the rice is about half-cooked. It should still have a decent bite to it and will take about 10-12 minutes from when you put it on the heat. Drain the rice and spread it out on a large baking tray to cool down.
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Use a pestle and mortar to grind the saffron to a powder. Add to the milk in a small bowl or cup and stir to dissolve; set aside.
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Now it’s time to build the biryani. Place a large pan (about 28cm diameter) over a medium heat. Add the ghee (or oil) to the pan, then add the chicken and all its marinade. Arrange the chicken so it sits flat on the base of the pan. Sprinkle a third each of the crispy onions, mint and coriander over the chicken, then cover with half the rice. Sprinkle with another third of the onions, mint and coriander, then cover with the rest of the rice. Finish with the remaining onions, mint and coriander.
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Finally, drizzle over the saffron milk and cover the pan tightly with kitchen foil. Place a clean tea towel over the pan, then cover with a lid and press down. Drape the hanging corners of the tea towel up over the lid, away from any flames and to cover any holes in the lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the biryani to stand for another 30 minutes before uncovering. Fluff up the rice, mix through the chicken and serve topped with the extra mint and coriander leaves.
For ease, you can substitute the homemade biryani masala spice mix for Shan Special Bombay Biryani Seasoning Mix. The leftover homemade spice mix can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
