All recipes

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice layers tender, spiced chicken with aromatic basmati, onions, and tomatoes for a richly seasoned bite in every forkful. Warm notes of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin bloom through the rice, while saffron lends color and a gentle floral finish. Serve for a festive family dinner or when you want a celebratory, comforting one-pot meal.

  • Prep
  • Cook45 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyMedium
Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice
  1. 1

    In a bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Add chicken breast and toss to coat evenly. Cover the bowl and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

  2. 2

    Put the rice in a bowl and add enough water to cover; set aside to soften. Place the saffron threads in a small bowl with 1/4 cup water; set aside to bloom.

  3. 3

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

  4. 4

    Lay the onions in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Place the marinated chicken breast on top, reserving the marinade. Add 1/2 cup water to the reserved marinade and pour the mixture over the chicken. Arrange the tomato slices on top.

  5. 5

    Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 30 to 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

  6. 6

    Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Return to a boil and cook until softened but still firm, about 8 minutes.

  7. 7

    Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add masala curry sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the parboiled rice and stir to combine, about 1 minute more. Stir in the saffron-infused water and 3/4 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand until the rice is fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes.

  8. 8

    Spoon the rice onto a serving platter; top with the chicken breasts, onion, and tomatoes.

About This Recipe

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice is an Indian dinner recipe made with 18 ingredients. It takes about 45 mins, serves 12, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Basmati Rice, Chicken Breast, Cinnamon Sticks, and Curry Sauce. Each serving provides about 611.87 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice?
It is an Indian recipe made with 18 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice made of?
The main ingredients are Basmati Rice, Chicken Breast, Cinnamon Sticks, Curry Sauce, Diced Tomatoes. The full list of 18 is above.
What goes well with Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice?
Explore these Indian side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice?
About 45 mins in total: 45 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 611.87 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Biryani with Saffron Rice easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 8 steps.

How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe

easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.

The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.

Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.

Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.

Modified this recipe?

Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.

Learn More