Thalassery Chicken Biryani

Name: Thalassery Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: kerala
Ingredients: 600 g chicken (bone-in, medium pieces); 1.25 cup kaima rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes); 3 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 1 inch ginger (crushed); 6 pcs garlic (cloves, crushed); 3 pcs green chili (slit); 0.5 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 0.25 cup mint (loosely packed leaves); 0.25 cup coriander leaves (chopped); 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tbsp oil; 1 inch cinnamon (split); 4 pcs green cardamom (lightly crushed); 4 pcs cloves; 2 pcs bay leaf; 1 pinch black pepper; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp cashews; 1 tbsp raisins; 3.5 cup water (for cooking rice and chicken masala); 0.5 tsp salt (divided, including rice and masala)

RATING

4.7/5(118)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

A fragrant Malabar biryani made with short-grain kaima rice, spiced chicken masala, fried onions, fresh herbs, and gentle dum cooking. It has a lighter feel than many biryanis, with distinct grains and warm coastal flavors.

PREP

30m

COOK

55m

SERVES

1 KATORI

636 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~30 min
Prepare the rice and biryani ingredients.
1.Wash the kaima rice gently until the water runs almost clear.
2.Soak the rice in fresh water for 30 minutes, then drain well.
3.Slice the onions thinly and chop the tomatoes.
4.Crush the ginger and garlic, slit the green chilies, and keep the herbs ready.
TIPKaima rice is delicate, so wash and stir it gently to keep the grains from breaking.
fry · ~12 min
Fry the onions, cashews, and raisins.
1.Heat the oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan over medium heat.
2.Add the sliced onions and fry until deep golden and crisp at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.Lift out about one-third of the onions for layering and garnish.
4.In the same fat, fry the cashews until light golden and the raisins until they puff, then remove.
TIPTake the onions out just before they turn very dark; they continue to deepen slightly as they cool.
saute · ~25 min
Cook the chicken masala.
1.To the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee, cinnamon, 2 cardamom, cloves, and black pepper.
2.Add the crushed ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
3.Add the remaining onions and cook until soft and lightly golden, about 4 minutes.
4.Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and half of the salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the masala looks thick.
5.Add the chicken, yogurt, half of the mint, half of the coriander leaves, lemon juice, and 0.5 cup water. Mix well, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and coated in a thick masala.
TIPKeep the masala thick, not watery, so the final biryani stays fluffy and the rice grains remain separate.
boil · ~15 min
Cook the rice until just done.
1.Heat 3 cups water in a wide pot with the bay leaf and remaining 2 cardamom.
2.Add the remaining salt and bring the water to a boil.
3.Add the drained rice and cook on low to medium heat, covered, until the rice is just cooked and the water is absorbed.
4.Turn off the heat and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
TIPDo not overcook the rice at this stage; it finishes on dum and should still feel slightly firm in the center.
assemble · ~5 min
Layer the biryani.
1.Spread half of the rice over the chicken masala if using the same pot, or transfer the chicken to a heavy dum pot first.
2.Scatter some fried onions, fried cashews, fried raisins, remaining mint, and remaining coriander leaves over the rice.
3.Add the rest of the rice on top and finish with the remaining fried onions, cashews, raisins, and herbs.
rest · ~25 min
Cook on dum for 15 minutes.
Cover the pot tightly and place it on very low heat for 15 minutes so the rice and chicken absorb each other's flavor. Let it rest off the heat for another 10 minutes before opening.
TIPA tight lid is important. If needed, place a sheet of foil under the lid to trap the steam.
serve
Fluff gently and serve the biryani hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Drain the soaked kaima rice very well before cooking so it steams up fluffy instead of turning sticky.
2
Fry the onions in a broad pan without crowding; evenly browned onions give the biryani its characteristic sweet depth.
3
Cook the chicken masala down until the fat lightly separates and the gravy clings to the pieces before layering.
4
Keep the rice slightly underdone before dum; kaima rice softens quickly during the final steam.
5
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or place a tawa under the biryani pot on dum to prevent the masala from catching.
6
Rest the biryani the full 10 minutes after dum so the grains firm up and the layers lift out neatly.
7
When serving, scoop from the side and lift vertically to keep the rice and chicken layers distinct.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adapt it for your goals.

low oil

Low-oil

Reduce the fried onion quantity and shallow-fry only half, then sauté the rest; you keep the classic taste with a lighter finish.

spicier

Spicier

Add 1-2 extra slit green chilies or a little more red chili powder for a hotter Malabar-style biryani.

egg

Egg

Layer in halved boiled eggs along with the fried onions for a richer biryani often served at festive meals.

mutton

Mutton

Swap chicken for mutton, but cook the meat until fully tender before layering since it needs a much longer masala stage.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Why this is on our healthy list.

✓

Protein-Rich Main Dish

Bone-in chicken makes this biryani filling and satisfying, with protein that helps turn it into a complete one-pot meal.

✓

Herb-Forward Flavor

Mint and coriander add freshness and aroma while contributing plant compounds that brighten the rich masala.

✓

Spice-Based Depth

Ginger, garlic, turmeric, pepper, and whole spices bring strong flavor, letting the dish feel fragrant without relying only on heat.

QUESTIONS?

Frequently asked questions

Yes, but the texture and authenticity will change. Basmati gives a drier, longer-grain biryani, while kaima provides the classic Thalassery character.

PAIRS WELL WITH