Malaysian Chicken Biryani

Bursting with flavor, tender and moist chicken is marinated in yogurt and a hearty mix of aromatic spices before being cooked over rice.

Just like the migrants who decided in the 15th century that Malaysia was the perfect place to settle down, Biryani too somehow found its way across shark infested oceans and ended up being a crucial part of Malaysian cuisine. It is now an integral part of local cooking, and something most Malaysians grow up eating.

The most important thing to ensure when making biryani is plenty of space in the stomach region. I can’t guarantee that you’ll have the self control to stop binge eating it.

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Important piece of information coming up – the quality of the basmati rice is crucial. When biryani is cooked perfectly, you can literally (as my mom would put it) “just eat the rice, mouthful after mouthful”.

There are generally two ways to make biryani. Cooked (pakki) and raw (katchi). With cooked, both the meat and rice are partially cooked, layered and then finished off in a vessel. With raw, neither the meat nor rice are cooked before being layered. This recipe is the ‘cooked’ version, which is how I prefer my biryani.

And sure, there is a long list of spices, but honestly, it is SO worth it. And, biryani is exactly like making casserole. The meat and rice is cooked, layered and then have the oven finish the work for you. Easy peasy.

Recipe Notes

• Yogurt helps to tenderize the meat.
• Ghee (instead of oil) offers richness to the dish.
• Crispy onions offers a mild sweetness and off the charts umami to the dish.
• Saffron is the best natural coloring. Yes, it’s pricey, but you only use VERY little.
• Kewra or pandanas water perfumes the rice like no other.
• Oil is added to the water when parboiling the rice to keep the rice from sticking together.
• Use high-quality basmati rice and fresh spices for best flavor.
• Adjust spiciness with the number of green chilies.
• Store-bought garam masala can be used for convenience.
• Ensure rice is only partially cooked before baking.
• Seal the baking dish properly for even cooking.

I urge you to give this ‘seems like an impossible but it’s really not‘ undertaking a try. Not only will you be dubbed a genius by friends and families, you’ll shock even your own mind that the burst of flavor in this Chicken Biryani…. with tender and moist chicken marinated in yogurt and a hearty mix of aromatic spices cooked with rice to heavenly perfection came right out of your kitchen. Seriously. So good.

Step by Step Guide to Making Malaysian Chicken Biryani

• Marinate Chicken:
  • Toast and grind whole spices for homemade garam masala. Blend onions, garlic, ginger into a paste.
  • Mix onion paste, garam masala, and remaining marinade ingredients. Coat chicken and marinate overnight.

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  Fry Onions:

  • Heat oil, deep fry onions until brown and crisp. Set aside.

• ---

  Brown Chicken:

  • Sear marinated chicken in a pan with oil until browned.

• ---

  Parboil Rice:

  • Toast spices, bring water to boil with spices and salt. Add rice, cook for 5 minutes.

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  Assemble Biryani:

  • In a casserole dish, layer ghee, chicken, onions, rice. Add saffron water, rose water, and pandanas water.
  • Seal and bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes.

• ---

  Serve:

  • Rest biryani, garnish, and serve with raita or chutney.

Malaysian Chicken Biryani

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Ai Ping
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

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Description

Bursting with flavor, tender and moist chicken is marinated in yogurt and a hearty mix of aromatic spices before being cooked over rice.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken Marinade:

• Garam Masala (homemade or store-bought – see notes)
• 2 medium onions, peeled
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2” ginger, peeled
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch mint, chopped
• 4 mild green chilies, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup whole plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1.5 lb chicken pieces

Fried Onions:

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cup oil

Rice:

• 3 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 1/2 lb basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1 tsp saffron threads, soaked in water
• Optional: 1 tsp kewra or pandanas water, 1 tsp rose water

Garnish:

• Fried onions, cilantro leaves, raisins, cashew nuts (optional)

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Instructions

1. Marinate Chicken:
   • Toast and grind whole spices for homemade garam masala. Blend onions, garlic, ginger into a paste.
   • Mix onion paste, garam masala, and remaining marinade ingredients. Coat chicken and marinate overnight.
2. Fry Onions:
   • Heat oil, deep fry onions until brown and crisp. Set aside.
3. Brown Chicken:
   • Sear marinated chicken in a pan with oil until browned.
4. Parboil Rice:
   • Toast spices, bring water to boil with spices and salt. Add rice, cook for 5 minutes.
5. Assemble Biryani:
   • In a casserole dish, layer ghee, chicken, onions, rice. Add saffron water, rose water, and pandanas water.
   • Seal and bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes.
6. Serve:
   • Rest biryani, garnish, and serve with raita or chutney.

Notes

• Use high-quality basmati rice and fresh spices for best flavor.
• Adjust spiciness with the number of green chilies.
• Store-bought garam masala can be used for convenience.
• Ensure rice is only partially cooked before baking.
• Seal the baking dish properly for even cooking.

• Prep Time: 60 mins
• Cook Time: 90 mins
• Category: Main
• Method: Oven Baking
• Cuisine: Malaysian