Name: Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 el Ghee; 0.5 tl Cumin seeds; 1 Cinnamon stick; 4 Cloves; 4 Black peppercorns; 4 Cardamom pods; 1 Onion (thinly sliced); 5 cm Ginger (thinly sliced); 4 teen Garlic (crushed); 2 Jalapeños (diced); 8 g Cilantro (chopped); 8 takje Mint (finely chopped); 454 g Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-size pieces about 3 cm); 185 g Basmati rice (rinsed and well drained); 250 ml Water; 0.25 tl Salt; Indian carrot salad (Serve with); Coconut chickpea curry (Serve with); Indian cucumber salad (Serve with); Indian cabbage salad (Serve with); Tomato raita (Serve with); Pickled onions (Serve with); Chutney (Serve with); Yogurt (Serve with)

Melt the ghee

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and let the ghee melt.

Toast the spices

Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and cardamom pods to the hot ghee and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Cook the onion

Add the onion and cook until deep golden brown, but don't let it burn.

Technique Cook the onion until golden brown, not crisp. It doesn't need to be completely soft after cooking; it will cook further under pressure.

Cook the ginger, garlic, and peppers

Add the ginger, garlic, and jalapeños and cook for 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Tip If you're sensitive to spicy food, remove the seeds from the jalapeños and carefully scrape out the membranes with a knife, or use fewer or no jalapeños.

Add the chicken and salt

Add the chicken pieces and salt.

Tip If using garam masala instead of the whole spices, stir it into the chicken now. The flavor will be a little milder than with toasted whole spices.

Scrape the bottom of the pot

Turn off Sauté (Cancel). If anything is stuck to the bottom, deglaze the pot and scrape everything loose.

Spread out the chicken

Spread the chicken and vegetable mixture evenly over the bottom of the pot.

Sprinkle over the herbs

Sprinkle the cilantro and mint over the chicken.

Spread the rice on top

Spread the rinsed and well-drained rice in an even layer over everything. Do not stir.

Watch out Don't stir: this helps prevent a burn warning and ensures the rice cooks evenly.

Technique Measure the rice before rinsing it, because rinsed rice expands slightly. Don't soak the rice; this changes the amount of liquid and cooking time required.

Add the water

Pour in the water and gently push the rice under so none of it sticks out above the water.

Pressure cook

Close the lid and cook on Pressure Cook, High, for 5 minutes.

Release the pressure

Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (Natural Release), then carefully turn the Steam Release Valve to Venting to release the remaining pressure.

Rest, if desired

If you find it helps the rice, let the biryani rest uncovered for 5 minutes.

Fluff and serve

Gently fluff the rice from the sides using a rice paddle.

Serving Gently toss the biryani from the bottom, or serve each portion from top to bottom so everyone gets chicken, herbs, and rice.

Meal Prep

Storage

Cool the rice quickly and don't leave it at room temperature for long. Store leftovers in shallow, airtight containers in the refrigerator and eat them within 3 to 4 days.

Freezing

Freeze the cooled biryani in individual portions in airtight containers for up to 2 months for the best texture. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating

Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of water to each portion, cover, and heat until piping hot in a covered microwave-safe dish or a covered skillet over low heat, so the rice doesn't dry out.

Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

Cooking timeline

Ingredients

Serve with8

Pantry2

Instructions