Best Clay Pot Chicken Biryani Recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 5 people
Ingredients
For cooking chicken
  • Chicken bone-in pieces- 6 to 8
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp
  • Onions, chopped- 1
  • Tomato, chopped- 1
  • Green chilies, halved- 3 or 4
  • Fried onions- 1 cup
  • Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
  • Garam masala- 1 tsp
  • Fennel powder- 1 tbsp
  • Chili powder- 1 tsp
  • Yogurt- 3 tbsp
  • Mint leaves, chopped- ¼ cup
  • Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
  • Curry leaves- 10 leaves
  • Oil- 3 tbsp
  • Salt- 1½ tsp
For cooking rice
  • Warm Water- 2¾ cups
  • Salt- 1 tsp
  • Garam masala- 1 tsp
  • Kaima, jeerakasala or basmati rice, soaked & rinsed- 2 cups
To garnish
  • Fried onions- ½ cup
  • Roasted cashew nuts or almonds- ¼ cup
  • Roasted raisins- 2 tbsp
  • Mint leaves, chopped- 2 tbsp
  • Cilantro, chopped- 2 tbsp
Instructions
  1. Use a large clay pot for making the biryani.
  2. Either kaima, jeerakasala or basmati rice can be added.
  3. I've taken jeerakasala rice, soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
  4. After that rinse the rice taken in a strainer under running water till the water turns clear, keep it aside.
  5. To the clay pot, add chicken along with all the ingredients mentioned 'for cooking chicken', combine well. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
  6. Place the clay pot over medium heat (on flame burner) & cook covered.
  7. Cook till the chicken has cooked 80%, do not fully cook the chicken.
  8. There will be around ½ cup of liquid in the claypan, that’s the flavourful chicken gravy.
  9. If you’ve added more chicken, there will be more liquid, so add additional water accordingly.
  10. Add 2¾ cups warm water.
  11. For 2 cups rice I've added a total of 3¼ cups liquid. 1:2 rice water ratio (ie, for 2 cups rice 4 cups liquid will make the rice mushy) hence adding less liquid.
  12. Season with salt & garam masala.
  13. Let the liquid come to a slight boil.
  14. Add the soaked & rinsed rice.
  15. Cook covered for 15 minutes till the rice has turned soft.
  16. Let the liquid almost dry off.
  17. If the rice is still crisp, add ¼ cup more water & cook covered till the rice turns soft.
  18. There should be some moisture in the biryani.
  19. Cover the clay pot with banana leaf & then wrap with aluminum foil. This way the aroma of banana leaf will infuse in the biryani.
  20. Reduce the heat to low & cook for 5 minutes.
  21. Turn off the heat & let the biryani rest in the clay pot for 30 minutes.
  22. Before serving, open the banana leaf, the aroma from this biryani is just amazing.
  23. Garnish with fried onions, roasted cashew nuts & raisins, mint & cilantro.
  24. Enjoy the delicious clay pot chicken biryani with raita, pickle & pappad.
Notes
While cooking biryani in the claypan, a thin layer of rice will be stuck to the bottom of the claypan & will turn brown while dum cooking; this rice can be discarded.
Recipe by Cooking with Thas - Wholesome Homemade Recipes at https://thasneen.com/cooking/best-claypot-chicken-biryani-recipe/