Quick Malabar Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 1.25 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1.5 cups basmati rice
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tablespoons biryani spice blend (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, clove)
• 1 unit salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch chunks by placing each thigh on the cutting board and using a sharp knife to slice through the meat in multiple directions, creating roughly equal-sized pieces.

2. 2

   Slice the onion lengthwise from root to tip into thin strips about 1/8-inch wide, roughly resembling spaghetti strands.

3. 3

   Rinse the basmati rice under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer, stirring gently with your fingers for 30 seconds until the water running through turns mostly clear.

4. 4

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot (at least 5 quarts) over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides freely when you tilt the pot, about 90 seconds.

5. 5

   Add the sliced onions to the hot oil and stir constantly until they turn golden brown and smell fragrant, about 4 minutes; you'll see them shrink and turn translucent, then tan, then golden.

6. 6

   Push the cooked onions to the side of the pot and add the chicken chunks to the empty space, letting them sit undisturbed for 1 minute to sear and turn light brown on the bottom.

7. 7

   Sprinkle the biryani spice blend over the chicken and stir everything together with a wooden spoon for 60 seconds, moving the spices through the chicken and onions until the pot smells intensely fragrant.

8. 8

   Add the ginger-garlic paste (2 tablespoons) and stir for 30 seconds, coating the chicken; the paste will cling to the meat and release a sharp, pungent aroma.

9. 9

   Pour in the coconut milk and 1.5 cups of water, stirring to combine and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon.

10. 10

    Add the rinsed basmati rice and salt, stirring just once to distribute evenly so the grains sit partially submerged in liquid.

11. 11

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat; you'll see large bubbles rapidly breaking the surface, about 3 minutes.

12. 12

    Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes so steam cooks the rice and chicken together.

13. 13

    Remove from heat and let the covered pot rest for 2 minutes, allowing any remaining steam to finish cooking the rice gently.

14. 14

    Remove the lid carefully (steam inside will be very hot) and fluff the rice and chicken with a fork, breaking up any clumps and mixing in the onions from the bottom.

15. 15

    Taste a spoonful of rice and chicken; add more salt and pepper if needed, stirring gently to combine.

Tools you’ll need

• large pot with tight-fitting lid (at least 5 quarts)
• fine-mesh strainer
• cutting board
• sharp chef's knife
• wooden spoon
• fork

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