Most Delicious Butter Chicken Biryani Ever Made

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken breasts, cut into cubes
    2 tbsp yogurt
    2 tbsp lemon juice
    1 tsp ground cumin
    2 tsp ground coriander
    1/2 tsp turmeric
    1 tsp garam masala
    2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    1 tsp ginger garlic paste
    Salt and pepper to taste
    2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

  • 1 cup basmati rice
    6 cardamom pods
    1 cinnamon stick
    1 star anise
    3 cloves
    Salt
    Yellow food coloring

Recipe Video

In the sphere of preparing the aromatic and flavorful meal that will represent the most successful mixture of the two worlds, the given Spicy Butter Chicken Biryani can be viewed as the ideal option. It is such a rich recipe that it turns the popular butter chicken to the luxurious biryani that is extremely fast and simple to prepare.

The story behind this dish is that after a little girl aged 10 years requested some dinner, a wise decision was made to make their favorite butter chicken something special. The outcome is a genuine piece that brings the conventional tastes to a completely new level.

The secret ingredient of this biryani is the smoky taste which is aromatic and this is made by adding a piece of charcoal which is wrapped in foil and placed in a metal dish towards the end of the cooking process. This method extracts the original flavor that biryanis are known to have as compared to other sophisticated recipes with millions of steps to follow.

This is a very simple dish, which is the beauty of the dish – it is almost one-pot dish, except that the rice has to be cooked on its own. The sauce is also prepared in advance hence it is ideal especially when you want to treat yourself without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

Caution is necessary, however, since with a strict diet, butter and cream which are used to prepare this recipe make it very tempting. It is however acceptable and good to indulge oneself occasionally, especially on a few occasions that require something out of the ordinary.

Quick Answer: How to Make Spicy Butter Chicken Biryani

In order to prepare Spicy Butter Chicken Biryani, chicken should be marinated with the help of yogurt, spices, and lemon juice and fried till it takes a golden hue. Make butter chicken rich in butter, onions, tomatoes, cream and aromatic spices. Semi cook basmati rice using whole spices and cover it on the chicken and sauce and fried onions and butter. Last but not least, put it in the oven so that it can be steamed (dum) and then smoked with charcoal on top to get the original taste.

Ingredients

Creating this flavorful masterpiece requires carefully selected ingredients that work together to deliver that rich, aromatic experience.

For Chicken Marinade

Butter Chicken Biryani

The marinade is where the magic begins, infusing the chicken with layers of flavor:

  • 500g chicken breasts, cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For Sauce

The sauce brings together aromatic spices and creates the signature butter chicken base:

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2+2 tbsp butter
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp ground fennel
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 2-3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp dried methi leaves (kasuri methi)
  • 1 cup passata tomato puree
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup fresh cream
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • Salt to taste

For Rice

The basmati rice gets its own aromatic treatment with whole spices:

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 3 cloves
  • Salt
  • Yellow food coloring

Extra

Additional elements that complete this dish:

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • Charcoal (optional for smoky flavor)

Instructions

To make this musicarious masterpiece all these step-by-step directions will be required:

Step 1: Prepare the Marinade Chop the chicken breasts into cubes. Blend lemon juice, yogurt, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and pepper. Apply this marinade on the chicken and leave to marinate so as to absorb maximum flavor.

Step 2: Fried Onions Peel and cut one onion into a golden brown crispy fry in a small amount of oil. Place on paper towel and leave aside. These fried onions will be used to provide texture and taste to the final dish.

Step 3: Cook the Rice Add whole spices to rice, with salt and cook to half the package contents. Pour out excess water, drop a few drop food coloring and leave aside.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken Add 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot with high heat. Roast the marinated chicken only a few seconds on both sides until brown. Remove and set aside.

Step 5: Prepare the Sauce Base In the same pan over low heat add 2 tablespoons butter. Add cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom pods. Fry until fragrant. Add second onion and fry till golden brown.

Step 6: Add Aromatics Add ginger garlic paste and cook one minute. Add coriander, garam masala, chilli powder, fennel and turmeric. Cook one minute to free up the aromatic oils.

Step 7: Prepare the Sauce Add passata and water. Bake approximately 15 minutes until thick in sufficing and butter to the surface. Add cream. Peel the entire spices and mix the sauce until smooth.

Step 8: Add Ingredients Add sauce back into pot. Put the browned chicken, crush dried methi leaves with fingers and then add them. Turn on heat and boil, and turn off the heat.

Step 9: Layer the Biryani Sprinkle the half cooked rice over it including the fried onions. In the top sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter which have been cut into little squares. Sprinkle 1/2 cup water over rice.

Step 10: Final Cooking Place lid or foil over and bake in a 180 Degree (356 Degree Fahrenheit) oven 30 minutes. In case biryani looks wet, then cook one or two minutes more.

Step 11: Add Smoky Flavor To achieve the perfect smoky taste, charcoal should be burnt in a piece of metal and put it in a metal dish and wrap the charcoal with foil leaving a small hole on top. Being at the center of biryani, cover and leave to smoke 5 minutes, and then take out.

Recipe Notes

The following are some of the tips to master your dish:

You may also use fresh tomatoes in place of passata. Cream may be skipped though the flavor will be a bit different. Butter chicken is also characterized by kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).

May use chicken on the bone or even chicken thighs in case of preference – this is rather superior to the dish. This is ideal when it comes to entertaining since the sauce may be prepared in advance. The aromatic chicken dish is also applicable in other meals such as chicken shawarma wrap to those willing to venture in an alternative meal.

The marination time is the key to success and not in a hurry to prepare the sauce. Give every step time to mature in terms of flavours so the results are optimum.

FAQs

Q: Can I Make This Spicy Butter Chicken Biryani Without Cream?

No, there is no need to skip the fresh cream, but the flavor is going to be a bit different. The meal will remain tasty and also fragrant, though it will lack the usual decadent and luxurious taste that cream offers. To make it healthier, you may replace it with cashew paste or coconut milk.

Q: How long Should I Marinate The Chicken for Best Results? 

Marinating the chicken is recommended at least 30 minutes which is best but preferably 1-2 hours. The yogurt and lemon juice of the marinade tenderize the chicken as the spices permeate into the meat. In case of lack of time, even 15 minutes marination will provide good taste to your biryani.

Q: Is The Smoky Charcoal Method Necessary for Authentic Taste? 

While the charcoal method adds an incredibly authentic smoky flavor that elevates the biryani to a whole new level, it’s optional. If you prefer to skip this step, your dish will still be delicious and aromatic. The smoky flavor is traditional in restaurant-style biryanis, but the recipe works perfectly well without it for home cooking.

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