Chicken Biryani

P30 minutes C60 minutes S10

Ingredients:

  • 10 x 200g chicken thigh cutlets, cut in half along bone
  • 500g Greek-style yoghurt
  • 6 tsp/20g biryani spice, or to taste
  • 10g Riviana Minced Garlic
  • 10g Riviana Crushed Ginger
  • Large pinch saffron threads, soaked in 80ml hot water
  • 80ml olive oil
  • 650g onion, thinly sliced into rings
  • 600g Riviana White Basmati Rice, rinsed
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 green cardamon pods
  • 40ml olive oil, extra
  • 450g Garden Supreme IQF Diced Carrots
  • 80g toasted flaked almonds
  • 60g chopped coriander
  • lemon wedges, naan bread, raita, chutney and sliced green chilli, to serve

Method:

  1. Combine the chicken in a bowl with the yoghurt, biryani spice, Riviana Minced Garlic and Riviana Crushed Ginger. Marinate, refrigerated, for several hours or overnight.
  2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan, add onion, season and cook gently until golden brown. Remove onions and set aside. Retain pan for cooking chicken.
  3. Place the Riviana White Basmati Rice in a saucepan with the cinnamon and cardamom. Season to taste. Add enough cold water to come 3.5cm above the top of the rice. Bring to a boil and then simmer just until small holes form on top of the rice. Cover and immediately turn off the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes until the rice is almost cooked.
  4. Heat the extra oil in the sauté pan, add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes to lightly brown one side. Turn the chicken, add the Garden Supreme IQF Diced Carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat, scatter with half of the onions, half of the almonds and half of the coriander. Use a fork to fluff the rice and then gently spread over chicken. Drizzle with the saffron mixture, cover and return to a moderate heat and cook for a further 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and rice tender. Stand for 10 minutes.
  5. To serve, scatter with remaining onion, almonds and coriander. Serve with lemon wedges, naan bread, raita, chutney and sliced green chilli.

Products used

Tips and hints:If a stronger yellow colour in the rice is preferred, saffron powder may be used instead of the saffron threads. Add chopped green chilli to the marinade for extra heat if desired.