Q&A for How to Make a Chicken Biryani

No problem. You can cook it with available vegetable oil. Ghee will provide an added and authentic flavour for briyani

Yes, you may use rice cooker instead, which would reduce over all cooking time.

Chicken shouldn't marinate more than a few hours, as the acid and salt will begin to cook and break down the flesh.

No. The chicken will be cooked along with the rice and all other ingredients.

No it's not necessary to add attached dough. And saffron milk is optional. You cannot fry chicken separately. It must cook with the rice and gravy so that it will give some extra taste. Otherwise, it won't be like an chicken biryani.

The bottom. Otherwise, the rice will stick to bottom, and the chicken will not cook properly. Steam from chicken will give fragrance and flavor to the rice above.

Yes. Saffron is used to add a flavor and diverse texture to biryani. Without saffron, it would be pilaf.

Yes.

Yes, rice is an essential ingredient.

Yes. The base of the pan should be thick so that the biryani doesn't burn. Also, make sure you have a lid that fits properly.

You can use a different type of rice for biryani, but the texture will change. Some rices are more absorbent than others, and your rice can end up stickier than biryani usually is.

5 to 10 minutes first. Then 35 minutes with a pan placed beneath. Then switch off the flame and let it sit for at least another 10 minutes before opening.

Biryani masala is a special blend of various spices, including coriander, cumin, cinnamon, star anis, turmeric, and nutmeg.

Yes, you can.

Yes. It will ensure all the flavors are distributed throughout.

The basmati rice might have been boiled little more than it needed to be perfect.

Stir the chicken with a cooking spoon after every minutes to avoid that. Take care not to break the pieces by constant stirring though. Don't have the heat too high.

Take great care as to the amount of oil you add and the consistency of the chicken curry. If it is too wet, you will get a mushy biryani. And if it is too dry, the rice won't taste consistently. Also, don't overcook or undercook the rice.

There is unfortunately not a simple way to cook the biryani. It is a complex recipe and that is what makes it unique.

You can cook the potatoes separately. And you can also cook them along with the chicken, they usually take the same time to be cooked.