Chicken Biryani Recipe
Spicy, Assyrian chicken biryani, loaded with meatballs, chicken, potatoes, and caramelized onions. Served topped with sweet raisins, crunchy toastes almonds, and sliced boiled eggs.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 696kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion (minced)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon allspice
Other Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (divided)
- ¼ cup biryani spice mix (divided)
- 2 medium onions (sliced)
- 2 medium potatoes (cubed)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 2 cups jasmine rice (or basmati)
- 1 teaspoon hot curry
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 cups green peas
Toppings:
- 3 medium boiled eggs
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
Prepare Meatballs
- Mix ground beef and minced onion with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon hot curry, and 1 teaspoon allspice. Form into approximately 30 small meatballs.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and fry meatballs until browned (approximately 10 minutes). Remove meatballs from the pan and add them to a large bowl.
Cook Chicken Thighs
- Add chicken thighs to an 8-quart Dutch oven and cover with 5 cups of water. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon biryani spice. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken skin and allow to cool; reserve chicken broth.
Saute Vegetables
- Slice onions and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon biryani spice. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and sauté onions until caramelized. Remove from skillet and add to meatballs.
- Peel and cube potatoes into small pieces. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon biryani spice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and fry potatoes until cooked through and golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add to meatballs and onions.
- Shred cooled chicken and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon biryani spice. Sauté for a few minutes in the hot skillet, then add to the other ingredients in the bowl.
Prepare Biryani
- Add saffron to 2 tablespoons of boiling water and allow to bloom. Meanwhile, wash rice to remove starch, then strain and place in the empty 8-quart Dutch oven. Strain 2-½ cups of chicken broth, and pour it over the rice. Season with 1-½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon curry, and 1 teaspoon allspice. Add saffron and stir to combine.
- Bring the rice to a gentle boil, then decrease the temperature to the lowest setting. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir rice, then mix in meatballs, onions, potatoes, chicken, and peas. Cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the flavors have melded.
Prepare Toppings
- While rice is cooking, boil and slice eggs, then fry almonds in 1 tablespoon of oil. When the almonds start turning golden, add raisins and sauté until slightly toasted.
Notes
- I like to make some cuts in the chicken thighs to allow them to cool faster.
- Although I prefer the taste of jasmine rice, basmati rice is another option; it cooks faster and is more traditional.
- If some of your guests don't like some of the toppings, you can serve them on the side instead of serving the biryani topped with raisins, almonds, and sliced boiled eggs.
- Instead of serving the salad on the side, pile it high onto each plate of biryani with some of the salad juices; that's how we do it!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 1279mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g
