Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Biryani
Slow Cooker Chicken Biryani combines marinated spiced chicken and rice for the ultimate one-pot comfort meal. Easy, delicious and fuss-free!
Servings: 6
Calories: 605kcal
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 cup (250g) yogurt , plain natural
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 lb (900g) chicken thighs , skinless and boneless
For the biryani
- ½ tbsp butter or ghee
- ½ tbsp neutral oil
- 2 red onions , thinly sliced
- 5 cardamom pods
- 5 curry leaves
- 1½ cups (300g) parboiled long grain rice easy cook long grain rice
- pinch saffron strands (optional)
- 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 whole jalapeno
- 1 star anise (optional)
To serve
- coriander leaves (cilantro)
- pomegranate seeds (optional)
- sliced pistachios (optional)
Instructions
MARINATE THE CHICKEN (PREP AHEAD)
- Combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, ground spices, salt, lemon juice in a non-reactive bowl or lidded Pyrex dish. Avoid using plastic containers as the turmeric will stain them yellow!1 cup (250g) yogurt, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Add the diced chicken thighs and stir to combine so that each piece of chicken is well coated in the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for three hours or up to overnight.2 lb (900g) chicken thighs
COOK THE ONIONS
- Heat the oil and butter or ghee directly in your slow cooker if it has a browning function or in a skillet on the stove top. Add the sliced onions, cardamom pods and curry leaves and cook, stirring, over low heat until softened but not browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onions into a bowl.½ tbsp butter, ½ tbsp neutral oil, 2 red onions, 5 cardamom pods, 5 curry leaves
LAYER THE CHICKEN AND RICE
- Dissolve the chicken stockpot or stock cube in boiling water and add the saffron strands. Leave to infuse for a few minutes.1 cup (250ml) chicken stock, pinch saffron strands
- Rinse the rice with cold water until water runs clear and drain.1½ cups (300g) parboiled long grain rice
- Add an even layer of marinated chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker and top with the rinsed rice and a layer of cooked onions.
- Add a bay leaf, the cinnamon stick, star anise. Top with then the remaining chicken and onions. Place the second bay leaf and jalapeno on top and pour in the saffron-infused chicken stock.2 bay leaves, 1 whole jalapeno, 1 star anise
COVER AND COOK
- Wet a large piece of parchment paper and squeeze out excess moisture. Tuck the paper over the ingredients to cover them snugly. Cover the slow cooker and set the cooking to the HIGH setting for 2 hours.
TASTE AND SERVE
- Take a peek at the chicken biryani after 90 minutes of cooking to check whether the chicken and rice are cooked through. The chicken pieces should register 75°C / 165°F on a meat thermometer, with no pink meat visible if you slice a piece in half.
- If the chicken or rice require further cooking, take the parchment off and check whether you need to add more water – if the crockpot looks dry, pour in ½ cup (125ml) hot water (from a kettle). Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Discard the chili, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise and any cardamom pods you come across. Stir through the chicken and rice to combine everything together. You can serve the biryani as is or garnish with coriander leaves, pomegranate seeds and sliced pistachios or almonds.coriander leaves, pomegranate seeds, sliced pistachios
Video
Notes
Please note: The cooking time on this recipe has been tested on a modern slow cooker that has a sauté function. This gives the biryani a head start which means it will cook significantly faster. If you are using a ceramic insert crockpot you may need to preheat it first and increase the amount of stock and cook for slightly longer.
Nutrition
Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 1006mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg
