Try this Chicken Biryani recipe, or contribute your own
- 1 cup water
- 1 stick cinnamon
- salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 cup basmati rice (rinsed and drained)
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or butter)
- 4-5 peppercorns
- 4-5 green cardamom pods
- 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 teaspoons ginger (thinly sliced)
- 2 jalapeno peppers (diced)
- 1/2 cup cilantro (fresh chopped)
- 6-8 sprigs mint (chopped fine)
- 1 pound chicken thighs (boneless and skinless cut into bite size pieces)
- Carbohydrate 0.59709513083505 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0451693856518868 g
- Fiber 0.362338201437356 g
- Protein 0.0555949050888287 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00479880758288543 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (120g)
- Sodium 389.504941283514 mg
- Sugar 0.234756929397694 g
- Trans Fat 0.00946642184933441 g
- Calories 2 calories
Step-by-step
- With the Instant Pot on Sauté mode, heat the ghee in your Instant Pot.
- When it's hot, put in all the tempering spices. Once they start to sizzle, put in the thinly sliced onion and cook until it's well-browned and crisp at the edges.
- Add in the ginger, garlic, jalapenos and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Put in the bite size chicken pieces and sear gently on both sides. You need the chicken and the rice to cook together at the same time so don't leave these pieces too big and don't skip this searing step.
- Add salt to taste and mix well. Remember you need enough salt to flavor the rice you'll shortly be adding as well. If you're using ready-made garam masala instead of whole spices, add it now and mix well.
- Spread out the chicken and veggie mixture to cover the bottom of your pressure cooker. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and mint on top it.
- Spread the rinsed, drained rice across everything. Do not stir. Pour in the water, and gently push the rice down so it is mostly covered by the water.
- Close the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When time is up, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open and inhale deeply! Enjoy the true-to-tradition aroma of this dish and then either mix it gently from the bottom, or serve by scooping up a layer from top to bottom so you've served chicken, herbs, and rice in every serving.
Swapping whole spices for a pre-mixed ground garam masala shifts the entire aromatic profile, turning bright, pungent top notes into a heavier, earthier background hum. Whole cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, and cloves release their volatile oils gradually when bloomed in hot ghee, whereas ground powders dissolve immediately and risk scorching against the base of the insert during the initial sauté phase. Rinse the basmati grains thoroughly in cold water until the runoff runs completely clear; removing excess surface starch prevents the grains from gumming together into a solid mass while under pressure. Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into uniform bite-sized pieces measuring roughly one inch across, ensuring the meat finishes cooking during the brief five-minute pressure cycle without toughening. Keep the layer of rinsed rice completely undisturbed on top of the seared meat and aromatics once added to the pot, as stirring will cause the starches to bond prematurely with the liquid.
Managing Pressure and Layering
Layering ingredients sequentially without agitation guarantees that the rice grains steam correctly above the savory meat base rather than boiling into a heavy porridge. Distribute the chopped fresh mint and cilantro directly over the seared chicken before scattering the drained rice grains across the surface. Pour the measured water gently over the rice, using a spoon or spatula to submerge any exposed grains without disturbing the meat layer underneath. Secure the lid, bring the cooker to high pressure for five minutes, and allow for a complete natural release before venting any remaining steam. Rushing this natural release stage causes the liquid inside the grains to boil off too rapidly, leaving the center of the rice undercooked and crunchy.
- Burn notices on electric pressure cookers typically stem from stuck starches; always scrape the bottom thoroughly after browning onions and garlic.
- Fresh ginger sliced paper-thin yields better flavor distribution than minced ginger, which tends to clump around the whole spices.
- Submerging the rice completely beneath the liquid prevents dry, hard patches from forming at the surface during the steaming phase.
