Kuwait-Style Fried Chicken Biryani

Fragrant white-and-yellow basmati over masala-fried chicken, with cool yogurt sauce and spicy gravy. Makes about 9–11 servings.

Ingredients

Chicken marinade

• 1.85 kg cleaned bone-in chicken breast, chopped into serving pieces
• 325 g plain unsweetened yogurt
• 4 tbsp Bombay Chicken Biryani masala powder
• 1¼ tbsp plain masala powder
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2½ tbsp lemon or calamansi juice
• 1¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1¼ tsp paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
• ¾–1¼ tsp chili powder, depending on desired heat
• 1¾ tsp salt — reduce if the Bombay biryani mix is already quite salty
• 2½ tbsp neutral oil

Potatoes

• 700 g potatoes
• ¾ tsp turmeric
• ¾ tsp Bombay biryani masala
• ½ tsp salt

Rice

• 1 kg basmati rice
• 5 green cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 1 × 5-cm cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 1¼ tsp cumin seeds
• 2½–3 tbsp salt for the large pot of boiling water
• 1 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Cucumber-yogurt sauce

• 600 g plain unsweetened yogurt
• ¾ cup cold water
• 1 large cucumber, finely diced or grated
• 3 tbsp chopped mint
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• ¾ tsp roasted cumin powder
• ⅓ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice

Spicy gravy

• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 1½ medium onions, finely chopped
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 400 g ripe tomatoes, blended or very finely chopped
• 2–3 green chilies, slit
• 1½ tbsp Bombay Chicken Biryani masala
• 1¼ tsp plain masala powder
• ¾ tsp turmeric
• 1–1½ tsp chili powder
• ¾ tsp cumin powder
• ¾ tsp coriander powder
• ¾ tsp salt, then adjust
• 700 mL chicken stock or water
• 3 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander

Layering and frying

• 4 large onions, thinly sliced
• Neutral oil for frying
• 4 tbsp melted ghee
• ⅓ cup chopped coriander
• ¼ cup chopped mint
• ¾ tsp Bombay biryani masala
• 3 tbsp reserved chicken frying oil
• ⅓ cup water
• For yellow patches: ½ cup hot milk with a generous pinch of saffron, or ½ cup warm water with ⅛ tsp turmeric
• Toasted cashews and raisins, optional

Method

• Mix the marinade and rub into the chicken, making shallow cuts in thick pieces. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Parboil potato chunks for 6–8 minutes, drain and season.
• Heat frying oil to 165–170°C. Let excess marinade drip from chicken and fry in batches until golden and cooked through; verify 74°C in the thickest flesh. Fry the potatoes in the same oil. Save 3 tbsp of the flavoured oil.
• Wash and soak basmati for 30 minutes. Boil with its spices, salt, ghee and lemon until about 80–85% cooked, with a small firm centre. Drain without rinsing. Fry onions until golden and crisp; divide two-thirds for inside and one-third for the top.
• Put reserved frying oil and ⅓ cup water in a heavy pot. Layer chicken, potatoes, two-thirds of the onions, some coriander and mint, and the layering masala. Cover with rice without mixing. Drizzle with ghee and saffron milk or turmeric water in separate patches.
• Cover tightly. Cook 5 minutes over medium-low heat, then 15–18 minutes on the lowest heat. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10–15 minutes. Gently loosen the rice, keeping the white and yellow areas distinct.
• Whisk yogurt-sauce ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For gravy, sauté onion, then ginger-garlic paste; add tomatoes and reduce until soft. Add chilies and spices for 1–2 minutes, then stock and simmer 15 minutes. Temper the yogurt with hot gravy before adding; gently cook 2–3 minutes, then finish with lemon and coriander off the heat.
• Serve on a large platter with chicken and potatoes partly covered by rice. Finish with remaining onions and herbs, plus optional nuts or raisins. Serve the cold yogurt sauce and hot gravy separately so everyone can choose their own balance.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗