Chicken Biryani Recipe, an aromatic yellow rice, flavored with a mixture of exotic spices, caramelized onions, tender shredded chicken, cubed potatoes, and spiced mini meatballs. Serve this delicious rice with zalata (a wonderful Middle Eastern-style salad).
Beni's Recipe
This is my sister, Beni's Chicken Biryani Recipe. It is slightly different than the one in my Mom's Authentic Assyrian Recipes cookbook, but I think they're both equally delicious! And if you need an easier version, check out my Instant Pot Biryani recipe!
How to Make This Recipe
Meatballs
Mix all meatball ingredients and form into small, ½" meatballs. Fry in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until browned. Set aside.
Rice
Slice onions and sprinkle with 1 tsp. biryani spice. Fry in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until caramelized. Add to the meatballs.
Peel and cube potatoes into ½" portions. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon biryani spice, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Fry the potatoes in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until the potatoes are cooked all the way through and golden brown. Add to the meatballs and onions.
Shred the meat off the rotisserie chicken and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon biryani spice and ½ teaspoon turmeric.
Add to the meatballs and vegetables. Mix in the green peas and set aside.
Wash and strain the rice. Add the saffron to a ¼ cup hot water and allow it to soak.
Meanwhile place the rice in a large pot, along with the chicken broth, remaining salt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
Mix in the remaining biryani spice, along with the cinnamon stick, cardamom, and turmeric. After the saffron has soaked for a while, strain the liquid into the rice and mix.
Bring the rice to a boil, then decrease the temperature to low and cook the rice until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.
Layer the rice and chicken/vegetable mixture in a large pot until both are used up.
Heat the chicken biryani by covering the pot and cooking over a very low flame. This will help the flavors to meld together. Cook Biryani for an additional 15 minutes.
Fry almonds and raisins in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until golden in color.
Boil and slice eggs the eggs. Serve over the rice, along with the toasted almonds and raisins. Serve with a side of salad.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
Biryani is a spicy rice dish, loaded with chicken, potatoes, sliced onions, and mini meatballs
Chicken Biryani gets its yellow coloring from spices like curry, allspice, saffron, and turmeric. When plated, the rice is topped with toasted almonds, raisins, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. 
It is believed that Biryani originated in either India or Persia. However, like many recipes that are popular in the Middle East, the origin might be disputed, depending on who you ask.
Either way, it's very popular in the Middle East and can be found all over the region. But, in my opinion, Assyrian Biryani is by far the best!
- Although I prefer the taste of Jasmine rice, Basmati rice might be a better option because it cooks a lot faster than Jasmine rice.
- Biryani is usually served on a large platter. Sliced boiled eggs decorate the parameter of the plate, while toasted almonds and raisins are sprinkled in the center, or on the side.
- Once you have your serving on your plate, you are to top the rice with an Assyrian salad known as "zalata."
- I love to pour some of the salad dressing over the entire plate. It really brightens the flavor of the dish.
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📖 Recipe
Beni's Biryani
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. curry
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 1 small onion (minced)
Other Ingredients:
- 2 medium onions
- 5 medium red potatoes
- 2 T biryani spice mix
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 T salt (divided)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups green peas
- 4 cups jasmine rice
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 stick cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. cardamom
- 1 tsp. turmeric (divided)
Toppings:
- 4 boiled eggs
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Mix all meatball ingredients and form into small, ½" meatballs. Fry in 1 T vegetable oil, until browned. Set aside.
- Slice onions and sprinkle with 1 tsp. biryani spice. Fry in 1 T. vegetable oil until caramelized. Add to the meatballs.
- Peel and dice potatoes and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt, 1 teaspoon biryani spice, and ½ tsp. black pepper. Fry in 3 T. vegetable oil, until the potatoes are cooked all the way through and golden brown. Add to the meatballs and onions.
- Shred the meat off the rotisserie chicken and sprinkle with 1 tsp. biryani spice and a ½ tsp. turmeric. Add to the meatballs and vegetables. Mix in the green peas and set aside.
- Wash and strain the rice. Add the saffron to a ¼ cup hot water and allow to soak.
- Meanwhile place the rice in a large pot, along with the chicken broth, remaining salt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
- Mix in the remaining biryani spice, along with the cinnamon stick, cardamom, and turmeric. After the saffron has soaked for a while, strain the liquid into the rice and mix in.
- Bring the rice to a boil, then decrease the temperature to low and cook the rice until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Layer the rice and chicken/vegetable mixture in a large pot until both are used up.
- Heat, covered, over a very low flame, to allow the flavors to meld together for 15 minutes or so.
- Fry almonds and raisins in 1 T oil until golden in color.
- Boil and slice eggs. Serve over the rice, along with the almonds and raisins. Serve with a side of salad.
Notes
- Although I prefer the taste of Jasmine rice, Basmati rice might be a better option because it cooks a lot faster than Jasmine rice.
- Biryani is usually served in a large platter. Sliced boiled eggs decorate the parameter of the plate, while toasted almonds and raisins are sprinkled in the center, or on the side.
- Once you have your serving on your plate, you are to top the rice with an Assyrian salad known as "zalata."
- I love to pour some of the salad dressing over the entire plate. It really brightens the flavor of the dish.
gina says
hi !! Can i buy the "biryani mix" at a local middle eastern market? If i cant, what are the spices in the biryani mix?
HildaSterner says
Hi Gina,
Most Middle Eastern markets sell Biryani Mix, however, you can make it yourself. Here's what I put in mine: 1-1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. cardamom, 2 T. allspice, 1 T. curry powder, hot.
chicken biryani recipe says
Nice article! thank you very much
HildaSterner says
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate the feedback! 🙂
beni says
My sister Hilda and I share the love of cooking. While she was visiting me in Chicago, we spent many hours in the kitchen cooking, sipping wine, and comparing recipes. I am blessed to have her as my youngest sister. I hope you enjoy my version of beryani.