Baked Pakistani Chicken Biryani with Ginger and Saffron

A fragrant, oven-baked twist on classic biryani

Indulge in a flavorful Pakistani chicken biryani blended with aromatic spices, ginger, and saffron, oven-baked for perfection.

2 h 15 min
6
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade

1 ½ lbs chicken thighs

skinless, bone-in, cut into pieces

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp ground cumin

Salt

to taste

For the Rice

2 cups basmati rice

rinsed

4 cups water

for boiling

4 cloves

1 bay leaf

2-inch cinnamon stick

5-6 black peppercorns

For the Biryani Assembly

2 onions

finely sliced

½ cup oil or ghee

A pinch of saffron

soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk

¼ cup fried onions

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

chopped

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves

chopped

For Garnishing

Lemon wedges

Hard-boiled eggs

halved

Sliced green chilies

Preparation

Marinating the Chicken

Mix Marinade

In a large bowl, mix yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin, and salt.

Coat Chicken

Add chicken pieces and coat them well with the marinade.

Refrigerate

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for better flavor.

Preparing the Rice

Boil Spices

In a large pot, bring water to a boil with cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns.

Cook Rice

Add rinsed basmati rice and cook until about 70% done.

Do not overcook the rice; it will finish cooking in the oven.

Drain Rice

Drain the rice and set aside.

Cooking Process

Sautéing Onions

Heat oil in a pan and fry onions until golden brown. Set aside half for garnish.

Layering the Biryani

In the same pan, layer the marinated chicken at the bottom, followed by half of the parboiled rice. Sprinkle half of the saffron milk, fried onions, coriander, and mint. Repeat the layers with the remaining rice and the rest of the ingredients.

Use a heavy-bottomed oven-safe dish to layer the biryani for even cooking.

Baking in Oven

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and cover the dish tightly with foil. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Plating & Serving

Baked Pakistani Chicken Biryani with Ginger and Saffron

FaUtensils

Plating & Serving

Serve hot with lemon wedges and garnished with boiled eggs, green chilies, and remaining fried onions.

Sauce Pairings

Mint Yogurt Sauce

Fresh mint and yogurt

Tamarind Chutney

Tangy and sweet

Garnishes & Accompaniments

Fresh corianderMint leaves

Perfect Sides

Raita — cooling cucumber and yogurt

Mixed Pickles — spicy and tangy