Pressure Cooker Chicken Biryani

Chicken biryani in a pressure cooker - Biryani is a popular rice dish in the Indian subcontinent. It is a combination of fluffy basmati rice, tender chicken, herbs, and aromatic spices. In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make chicken biryani in a pressure cooker within 30 minutes. It is easy, time-saving, and the best biryani recipe.

Pressure cooking the chicken biryani saves a lot of time. It's a great choice for weekend lunch or dinner. Gather the ingredients and you can make this chicken biryani quickly in one pot within 30 minutes. This pressure cooker chicken biryani recipe is tried and tested in my kitchen and I can assure you that it is you will love the flavor and aroma of this biryani.

About this Pressure cooker chicken biryani recipe

Traditional chicken biryani recipe is made by layering marinated meat and rice and cooking them together in a sealed pot on low heat or dum. Making traditional biryani at home is a time-consuming task. Let's make it quickly in a pressure cooker.

To make this pressure cooker chicken biryani, chicken is marinated first. Marinated chicken is partially cooked, layered over with basmati rice and herbs, and pressure-cooked. You will get the same aroma and flavor as conventional biryani with this pressure cooker biryani recipe. Serve chicken biryani with Mirchi ka Salan, salad, or raita and a lemon wedge.

Similar pressure cooker recipes that you might like are our Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry, Dhaba Style Chicken Curry, and Pressure Cooker Egg Biryani

Watch the Pressure Cooker Chicken Biryani recipe video

Pressure Cooker Chicken Biryani Ingredients

• Rice - I prefer long-grain, aged basmati rice to make biryani. Basmati rice has a lovely aroma and is fluffy when cooked. However, you can make biryani with any long-grain or medium-grain rice. Avoid short-grain rice to make biryani.
• Chicken - Chicken with bones (or curry-cut chicken) or chicken thighs are the best. They give a nice flavor to the biryani. However, you can make it with boneless chicken too.
• Whole spices - If you do not have all the whole spices, add a few, whatever you have on hand.
• Ginger-garlic paste - I have used homemade ginger-garlic paste. You can use store-bought.
• Yogurt/Curd - Use fresh curd or yogurt. Do not use sour curd to make biryani. If the curd is sour then skip adding lemon juice.
• Red chili powder - I have used 2 different red chili powders in the recipe. Spicy red chili powder gives flavor to the biryani gravy and Kashmiri red chili powder gives color but it is not at all spicy.
• Flavoring - Turmeric, biryani masala powder, salt, and coriander powder.
• Biryani masala powder - You can purchase it easily online.
• Ghee or Clarified butter - It gives richness to biryani and keeps the rice nice and moist. Do not skip adding it.
• Oil - I have used sunflower oil. You can use any neutral flavor oil that has a high smoke point.
• Lemon juice - It gives a tangy punch and brightens up the entire dish. Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
• Herbs - Fresh mint and coriander leaves give a nice aroma and flavor to the biryani. Do not skip adding it.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

How to make Pressure Cooker Chicken Biryani

Preparations

1. Marinating the chicken - In a medium-sized mixing bowl, marinate 600 g of chicken with salt, ½ teaspoon spicy red chili powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ cup yogurt, ¼ cup coriander leaves, and 2-3 tablespoon mint leaves. Marinate it for 30 minutes.
2. Rinse 2 cups of basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain off the water and keep it aside.
3. Slice 4 onions and keep them aside.

   

Making Chicken Biryani in Pressure Cooker

1. Heat oil in the pressure cooker over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is hot enough, add the sliced onions, stir, and cook until they turn golden brown. Remove ¼ of the fried onions and spread it on a plate to cool down.
3. Add the marinated chicken and whole spices (1 teaspoon cumin, 1-inch cinnamon, ½ mace, 1 star anise, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, and 12 black peppercorns). Stir to combine. Cook stirring continuously until the color of the chicken turns from pink to white.
4. Partially cover the pressure cooker with the lid and cook for 5 minutes or until the masala starts to release oil. Stir in between to prevent the masala from burning.

   

5. Add 2 teaspoon coriander powder, stir to combine, and cook it for a minute.
6. Next, stir in 3 cups of water in the pressure cooker. Partially cover and cook until the biryani gravy comes to a boil.
7. Once the gravy comes to a boil, add the basmati rice to the pressure cooker, followed by chopped 2-3 teaspoon chopped mint leaves and a handful of coriander leaves. Gently stir to combine. Soaked rice can break easily so be slow while stirring.
8. Next, add 2 teaspoon ghee and stir to combine. Let the gravy come to a boil again. Taste the gravy and add salt as per taste.

   

9. Close the pressure cooker with its lid and lock it securely. Cook it for 2 whistles. Immediately remove it from heat and keep it aside. Let the pressure release naturally.
10. Open the lid and keep it aside for 5 minutes. Fluff the biryani rice with a fork gently.
11. Garnish it with coriander leaves, mint leaves, and fried onions. Serve chicken biryani with raita, onion rings, and a lemon wedge.

    

12. If you are not serving the biryani immediately, then remove it to a plate or tray. Gently spread it evenly with a fork. Let it cool down for 10-15 minutes. This is to dry up any extra moisture from the rice. Transfer it to a serving bowl or airtight container. It stays good for 2 hours at room temperature.
13. If you do not remove the biryani from the pressure cooker, the rice will become sticky, soggy, and overcooked at the base of the pressure cooker.

Tips to Make Perfect Chicken Biryani in Pressure Cooker

1. Marinating the chicken - The chicken should be marinated for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can marinate it overnight too. If marinating the chicken overnight or more than 30 minutes then cover it & keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2. Ghee/Clarified butter - It enhances the aroma & flavor of biryani. It also helps to keep the rice nice & moist. Do not skip it. However, you can reduce the quantity of ghee.
3. If the curd or yogurt you are using is sour, skip the addition of lemon juice.
4. Whole spices - If you do not have the entire whole spices mentioned in the ingredient list then add a few that are easily available in your kitchen. Fresh whole spices make the biryani more aromatic & flavorful. Use biryani masala powder to balance the flavors. It is easily available in stores & you can purchase it online too.
5. The only trick to getting perfectly cooked biryani in the pressure cooker is to follow the recommended measurements of the recipe to achieve the desired consistency and flavor for your chicken biryani.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

• Raita - Typically, chicken biryani with raita. Raita is made with yogurt and gives a cooling effect to the body balancing the spiciness of the biryani. You can serve it with any raita of your choice.
• Plain Yogurt - Don’t have time to make raita, serve it simply with plain yogurt. Or flavor the yogurt with minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
• Salad - Serve it simply with onion rings, cucumber slices, and a lemon wedge. Or serve it with coleslaw or any salad of your choice.
• Boiled Eggs - Serve biryani with halved boiled eggs on top.

Storage Suggestions

• If you have leftover chicken biryani made in a pressure cooker, store it within 2 hours of cooking.
• Transfer the leftover biryani into an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. Ensure that the biryani is cooled down to room temperature before refrigerating. It stays good for 2 days.
• Reheat the biryani in a microwave or stovetop. When reheating sprinkle some water over it and stir gently to distribute the heat evenly. Reheat it until steaming hot and serve.
• Do not restore the biryani once heated.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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More chicken biryani recipes that you might like

• Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani
• Mutton Biryani
• Chicken Tikka Biryani
• Prawn Biryani
• Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani
• Butter Chicken Biryani
• Lucknowi Biryani