Name: Easy chicken biryani
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Chicken; 500 gram chicken breasts or thighs, chopped; 1 cup unsweetened yoghurt; 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom; 2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped; 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ tsp pepper; 1/2 cup currants; zest of 1 lime or small lemon; 3 cup silverbeet, chopped; Rice; 1 cup basamati rice, washed and drained; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 3 whole cloves; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoon butter; 2 1/2 cup chicken stock; fresh chopped coriander, ½ cup toasted almond slivers, ¼ cup unsweetened yoghurt, to serve

Easy chicken biryani

This simple chicken biryani suits the whole family as it is not at all hot and is super tasty. This recipe may look like a lot of ingredients, but it really is very quick and easy to assemble.

Serves 6

Cook

50M

Ingredients

Chicken

500 gram chicken breasts or thighs, chopped

1 cup unsweetened yoghurt

1 teaspoon crushed cardamom

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped

1 teaspoon salt and ¼ tsp pepper

1/2 cup currants

zest of 1 lime or small lemon

3 cup silverbeet, chopped

Rice

1 cup basamati rice, washed and drained

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 whole cloves

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon butter

2 1/2 cup chicken stock

fresh chopped coriander, ½ cup toasted almond slivers, ¼ cup unsweetened yoghurt, to serve

Method

1.In a bowl, marinate the chicken in the yoghurt, cardamom, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.

2.In another bowl, place the rice, garlic, cloves, fresh ginger, turmeric and salt.

3.In a big pot, melt the butter and spread a third of the rice mixture in it. Now, layer the chicken mixture plus the currants, zest and silverbeet. Cover with the remaining rice.

4.Pour over the stock and cover tightly with a lid (seal with foil if your lid is not tight-fitting).

5.Cook for 30-45 minutes without uncovering. Check if the rice is cooked and, for the last 5 minutes, take off the lid.

6.Fluff with a fork and garnish with the fresh coriander, slivered almonds and a drizzle of yoghurt.

Don’t be tempted to cook this for longer than 45 minutes (as I did, worrying that the chicken may need longer) as your rice will be overcooked.

Note

Nici Wickes

Ingredients

Method

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