Skip to Content

One-Pot Chicken Biryani

Indian Chicken Biryani made dairy-free! This simple, flavorful meal is so tasty yet so easy that you will want to make it each and every week!
One-Pot Chicken Biryani - a healthy and filling paleo meal | TheRoastedRoot.net #recipe #glutenfree #dinner

I’d be lying if I said I don’t sometimes wish HUGE pots of chicken and rice would – POOF! – appear out of the ether and feed me for weeks on end.

Some ladies wish fancy clothing would materialize in their closet, other gals just want to hibernate with a damn fine cauldron of comfort food…without having to put in any effort.

One-Pot Chicken Biryani - a healthy and filling paleo meal | TheRoastedRoot.net #recipe #glutenfree #dinner

As real life would have it, no food fairies have bestowed massive vats of chicken dinner upon me thus far.  And you guys, I’m not going to lie…this is no 30-minute meal. As in, once you start this thing, you’re in it for the long haul…which is actually quite perfect for a snowed in occasion, or a special occasion.

Which brings me to my next point:

When I googled “chicken biryani” to get more details on the classic Indian (slash Pakistani) dish, what I found was this dish is traditionally served at weddings and family gatherings. So, not exactly your mid-week throw-it-together-after-work situation.

But don’t let that fool you into thinking you can’t make this on any given night of the week! This one-pot meal is easy enough to make whenever you please…no special occasion needed! 

The RICE, you guys! So flavorful with all the seasonings PLUS the chicken fat lubing it up for some intense explosions in your mouth face. Don’t skip the dried cranberries or pecans, mmkay? They’re little touches of heaven.

While this recipe takes some time and effort, it’s worth every stitch.  

I adapted the recipe from One-Pot Paleo by Jenny Castaneda, and lemme just say, this pot o’ flave is my slow jam. The recipe feeds 4 to 6 people very comfortably, and if you’re into leftovers, this is absolutely a meal you want to prepare and eat on for dayz.

More Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipes:

Eat, drink, and be merry

One-Pot Chicken Biryani - a healthy and filling paleo meal | TheRoastedRoot.net #recipe #glutenfree #dinner

One-Pot Chicken Biryani

Easy Chicken Biryani made in one pot is so simple yet delicious, you'll want to make it every week!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
6 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

Cucumber Mint Sauce:

  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 10 leaves mint, chopped
  • Pinch sea salt

Aromatic Rice:

  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ½ medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted pecans
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

  • Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate overnight (or at least 30 minutes). Prepare the Cucumber Mint Sauce by combining the ingredients in a bowl. Stir and refrigerate overnight (or until ready to use).
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pour rice into a deep bowl and cover with water. soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
  • Melt coconut oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin seeds, salt, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon sticks. Saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the chicken pieces and marinade to the pan. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side, until skin is golden brown and crispy. Add the basmati rice and mix until everything is combined. Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil. Turn off heat, cover, and move pan to the oven to cook for 40 to 60 minutes (mine took 1 hour, but check the pot periodically for doneness).
  • At the 15 minute mark, check the rice and mix it while scraping the bottom to make sure the rice does not stick to the pan.
  • Add the dried cranberries, fresh parsley, and roasted pecans and stir well. Serve with fresh basil and cucumber mint sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 6 - Calories: 644kcal - Carbohydrates: 48g - Protein: 56g - Fat: 24g - Sugar: 1g
Course: Lifestyle
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: baked chicken, chicken biryani, gluten free, healthy, Indian food, one-pot meals
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 644kcal
Author: Julia
One-Pot Chicken Biryani - a healthy and filling paleo meal | TheRoastedRoot.net #recipe #glutenfree #dinner
Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health

Wednesday 27th of January 2016

Snow...what's that? All we ever get here is rain, BOO.

I had to live vicariously through social media too. Some of the bloggers I follow on Snapchat live in the NE so it was pretty cool to see it live in action. BTW, when are you going to join Snapchat?! Come to dark side... ;)

This definitely looks like the type of meal that's worth the extra effort. And hey, it's made in one pot. You can't beat that with a stick!

Ashley

Wednesday 27th of January 2016

We got snowed in ... but mostly because people don't know what to do with snow around here and freak out! haha It was just a few inches :) I had biryani for the first time within the last few months and loved it! This sounds wonderful!

Kari Peters

Wednesday 27th of January 2016

I just got my audio book version of Station Eleven, so maybe I can do a 2 for 1 this weekend and listen to my book and make this awesome dish! I've been wanting to make biryani for a while but I'll have to admit I've been intimidated by the lengthy recipes in my Indian cookbooks - yours looks a lot more accessible so I can't wait!

Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Allergy Friendly Eats

Wednesday 27th of January 2016

Oooh, this looks amazing! We love our Indian food over here. This is perfect winter comfort food!

Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine

Wednesday 27th of January 2016

This looks perfect! The entire dish is just stunning!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.