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5 from 5 votes

Spicy Butter Chicken Biryani

This is a mouthwatering dish that's so quick and easy to make
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Marinating Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: butter chicken, butter chicken biryani, chicken biryani, chicken recipes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 500 gram chicken breasts cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tspn ground cumin
  • 2 tspn ground coriander
  • 1/2 tspn turmeric
  • 1 tspn garam masala
  • 2 tspn kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tspn ginger/garlic paste
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce

  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2+2 tbsp butter
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 star aniseed
  • 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
  • 1 cup passata/tomato puree
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup fresh cream
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt

Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star aniseed
  • 3 cloves
  • salt
  • egg yellow food colouring

Extta

  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • charcoal (optional)

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken breasts into cubes. Mix the lemon juice, yogurt, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder, ginger/garlic paste, salt and pepper together and rub into the chicken.
  • Fry one onion in a little oil until golden brown and crisp and drain on a paper towel
  • Add the whole spices to the rice together with some salt and cook as per package instructions until half cooked. Drain the excess water, add a few drops of food colouring and set aside
  • Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a large pot on high heat and fry the chicken, just a few seconds on each side until brown. Remove and set aside
  • In the same pan, on low heat, add 2 tablespoon butter. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, star aniseed and cardamom pods. Fry until fragrant. Add the second onion and fry until golden brown.
  • Add the ginger/garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, chilli powder, fennel, turmeric and cook for a minute
  • Add the passata and water and simmer for about 15 minutes until it thickens and the butter surfaces to the top. Add the cream. Remove the cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom and star aniseed and blend the sauce until smooth
  • Return to the pot. Add the chicken and crush the dried methi leaves with your fingers and add it in. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off
  • Sprinkle the rice on top together with the fried onion. Scatter the other 2 tablespoon butter (cut into little cubes) on top. Sprinkle 1/2 cup water over the rice, cover with a lid or some foil and pop into the oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. If the biryani is too moist you can cook for a few minutes extra.
  • For a smokey flavor you can burn a piece of charcoal. Place it in a metal dish and wrap some foil around it with a little opening on top. Place it in the centre of the biryani, cover and allow it to smoke for about 5 minutes and remove.

Notes

  1. You can use fresh tomatoes instead of the passata
  2. If you prefer not to add cream you can leave it out although the taste wil be a little different