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Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

A simple one-pot chicken biryani that doesn't need you to cook the rice and chicken separately! This method is simple and will give you a quick biryani without compromising on the flavour.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 7 people
Calories 945kcal
Author Richa

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

  • 700 grams Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks bone-in and skinless
  • ¾ cup Yogurt or hung curd
  • ¼ cup Tomato Puree
  • ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1 tablespoon Red Chilli Powder or 1 teaspoon Paprika + 1 teaspoon Cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
  • ½ cup Brown Onions
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Saffron Milk

  • 2 tablespoon Hot Milk
  • 10-15 Saffron strands

Biryani

  • 3 tablespoon Oil
  • 2 cardamom
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups Basmati Rice
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Other Biryani Ingredients

  • 1 cup Mint Leaves fresh roughly chopped
  • 1 cup Coriander Leaves Cilantro roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Ghee or Butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons Brown Onions

Instructions

Chicken Marinade

  • Mix together all the ingredients under chicken marinade and marinate for at least two hours or overnight for best results.

Saffron Milk

  • When you are ready to make the biryani, soak saffron strands in hot milk and rub them slightly with the back of a spoon. Set this aside.

Biryani

  • Soak washed basmati rice for 20 minutes before cooking.
  • Turn on the SAUTE mode on the Instant Pot. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and add 2 cardamoms, 2 cloves and 1 bay leaf. Sauté for a minute.
  • Add the chicken along with any leftover marinade. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occassionally. Cover the lid of the Instant Pot and press CANCEL. Now press MANUAL and set the timer for 3 minutes on HIGH. Pressure cook for 3 minutes. Once done, manually release the pressure immediately.
  • Boil 2 cups of water with ½ teaspoon of salt.
  • Sprinkle chopped coriander and mint on the cooked chicken.
  • Add all soaked and drained rice and spread it evenly over the chicken. Pour the boiled water and make sure all the rice is submerged.
  • Cover the lid and press MANUAL. Set the timer for 6 minutes. Once done, manually release the pressure immediately.
  • Sprinkle saffron milk, 2 tablespoons of melted ghee and 2 tablespoons of fried onions. Turn off the Instant Pot and put the lid on. Let biryani rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot along with raita!

Notes

  • Do not skip soaking the rice before cooking. This is an important step to prevent overcooked, mushy rice. It helps in removing the excess starch and helps the rice stay firm and fluffy until the end of the cooking process all the excess water 
  • For maximum flavour, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Or you can choose to marinate it for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator. 
  • It is best to use fresh whole and ground spices when making this instant pot chicken biryani. Spices that are under a year old have a stronger flavour and aroma and make the whole dish taste so much better. 
  • After adding the rice in the Instant Pot, make sure it is properly submerged under the liquid before closing the lid of the IP. 
  • Be very gentle and use a silicone spatula when mixing fluffing up and mixing the layers of the biryani to prevent the rice from breaking. 

Nutrition

Calories: 945kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 1366mg | Potassium: 781mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1731IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 4mg