How to make Persian Chicken Biryani

Persian chicken biryani is a simple dish containing rice and chicken. It’s also called beryouni which is a little different from Indian biryani. A type of biryani is common in the south of Iran. 

You can make Persian chicken biryani with aromatic spices. There’s a spice called rice spice which is a perfect choice for making rice dishes like this. Masala spice and special biryani spice are good options too. 

Adding tomato paste to beryouni is optional but keep in mind that it gives a pleasant taste and color to your food. 

Is biryani traditional in Iran? 

In Iran, there’s a famous biryani called Isfahan beryouni. It’s usually made with lamb and white liver. First, the meat is cooked thoroughly and then ground. Then, it’s fried in a special biryani spatula. This traditional Isfahanian food is famous across Iran and many restaurants in Isfahan serve this delicious dish. You can see an image of it here.

We will teach you how to make chicken biryani in this post, so start preparing for making this delicious meal for today’s lunch or dinner!

How to make Persian Chicken Biryani?

One of the best recipes for making Iranian chicken biryani is the following recipe:

Step 1- Preparation

Soak the rice in water for an hour. 

Cut the chicken meat into medium pieces. 

Fine dice the potatoes. 

Step 2- Marinate the chickens

Rub the chicken pieces with some salt, pepper, and saffron and let them sit for 2-4 hours. 

Step 3- Fry the chickens

Pour some oil into a pan and sauté the chickens until they’re golden. Take them out of the pan. 

Peel the onion and mince it. Slightly sauté in the same pan. Add the grated garlic. Once you smell the garlic aroma, add the potatoes and sauté a little bit. Then, add grated ginger and chopped green pepper. 

Puree or grate the tomatoes and add to the pan. This gives a beautiful color to your food. Add tomato paste and sauté until the raw smell is no longer there. 

Add hot water, sautéed chicken, Rice spice, saffron, and some salt. It’s better to let everything cook for 20-30 minutes. Close the lid of the pan to thoroughly cook and soften the chicken. 

Wait until the water evaporates and the chicken sauce thickens. 

Step 4- Cook the rice to al dente state

Fill a pot with water and let it boil. Throw away the water on the surface of the soaked rice and add the rice to boiling water. Add some salt. 

Let the rice cook for 4-7 minutes until it’s al dente. This is when the outermost layer of the rice is softened but the core is still hard. Strain the rice. 

Step 5- Steam the rice with the chickens

Pour some oil into the pot. You can place naan pieces there to have delicious bread tahdig. Pour half of the strained rice into the pot, then add the chicken with it’s sauce.

Pour the rest of the rice at the top. Let your chicken biryani steam for 50 minutes to 1.5 hours. During this time, the tahdig shapes up properly too. 

Tips: 

Chicken breast and drumsticks are the most suitable parts for making biryani. 

Conclusion:

As I mentioned before, biryani is traditional in Iran and Isfahan biryani is made with red meat. 

As you know, rice is a principal component in Iranian foods, and it has a wide variety. Kalam Polo Shirazi and Adas Polo with chicken are two examples.

Persian chicken biryani is popular in Iran, especially in the southern regions. In this post, I introduced a special recipe that is easy to make as well. If you’ve made this chicken dish, share your opinions on how it tasted with me!