Even though, I have shared many recipes for biryani, I keep getting requests asking for making a simple meat biryani using ready made biryani masala and simple ingredients. So I am sharing that recipe here today. You can use any ready made biryani masala available in the super markets and I have used Shan Biryani Masala today as that is what is available easily even abroad. Just use whatever brand you like.
Here is how to make chicken biryani using shan masala, readymade biryani masala. Shan Chicken Biryani
First we need to marinate the chicken. Take a big bowl and add in the chicken pieces. We use chicken pieces with bone for biryani. Do not use bone less chicken please for this recipe. Add 3 tablespoon of the biryani masala. Most of the ready made biryani masalas have salt. So no need to add any salt. Just check the ingredients of the pack to double confirm. Add in the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, chopped green chillies, chopped mint leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Let the chicken marinate for one hour.
In the mean time soak basmati rice in water for one hour. After one hour, boil a big pot of water and add in a tablespoon full of salt to the water. Let it come to a boil. Add in the soaked and drained rice to the boiling water. Cook until the rice is 80% done. Its very difficult for me to give a time frame as the rice cooks differently according to the age of rice, amount of water added etc… Approx – from 8-12 minutes. The gauge for the texture of the rice for biryani is that the rice at this stage should not be fully cooked. The center of the rice kernel should be still a little dry and chewy. Drain off the rice immediately and set aside to cool.
Now lets make shan chicken biryani.
Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the onions are brown. Open the lid and saute once in a while so the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn.
Add in the marinated chicken. Add 1/2 cup of water. Mix well. Slightly increase the flame and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, the chicken will be cooked and there will be some gravy. Add in the partially cooked rice. Mix well to combine.
Now, we are ready for dum. Take a dosa pan and place the biryani pot on the dosa pan. Put the flame of the stove on low and let it cook in dum for 15 minutes.
Biryani is ready. Serve with raita.
chicken biryani using shan masala, with readymade biryani masala
Recipe for easy chicken biryani made using shan biryani masala. Easy bachelors biryani made with readymade biryani masala.
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
- Yield: 4 persons 1x
Ingredients
For marinating Chicken
- 1 Kg Chicken
- 3 tablespoon readymade biryani masala
- 1/3 cup yogurt
- 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 4 green chillies, chopped
- 5 sprigs mint leaves , chopped
- 5 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
Other Ingredients
- 2 Cups / 500 ml Basmati Rice
- 1 tablespoon salt added to water for cooking rice
- 4 tablespoon vegetable / sunflower oil
- 3 medium sized onions, sliced
Instructions
- Take a big bowl and add in the chicken pieces. We use chicken pieces with bone. Add 3 tablespoon of the biryani masala. Most of the ready made biryani masala have salt. So no need to add any salt. Add in the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, chopped green chillies, chopped mint leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Let the chicken marinate for one hour.
- In the mean time soak basmati rice in water for one hour. After one hour, boil a big pot of water and add in a tablespoon full of salt to the water. Let it come to a boil. Add in the soaked and drained rice to the boiling water. Cook until the rice is 80% done.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the onions are brown. Open the lid and saute once in a while so the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn.
- Add in the marinated chicken. Add 1/2 cup of water. Mix well. Slightly increase the flame and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, the chicken will be cooked and there will be some gravy. Add in the partially cooked rice. Mix well to combine.
- Now, we are ready for dum. Take a dosa pan and place the biryani pot on the dosa pan. Put the flame of the stove on low and let it cook in dum for 15 minutes.
- Biryani is ready. Serve with raita.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Biryani
- Cuisine: Indian
Hi Kannamma, thanks for a great looking recipe. Pretty much similar method how I’ve been making it. Your recipe leaves out tomatoes, lemon juice, rose water. Does it make a huge difference to the recipe? Am trying out ghee instead of veg oil,do i use the same qty? Am cooking your recipe for 50 guests, will it take up the same cooking time?
Hi Jon, How much qty are you cooking? cooking time will depend on the qty. I have not cooked such large quantities for this recipe. so not able to comment.
Thanks for making biriyani easy
It turned out real yummmmmmm
I am also making biryani all the time and using different techniques but I am feeling your recipe has quicker version than mine. Will be trying it out soon.
Can you post a receipe of chicken biryani with readymade sakthi masala
Hi Suguna,
I tried this recipe and it came out really well. I want to know if the same recipe will work out for Mutton too?
Sure Kishoba. You may add mutton too!
I normally do not cook meat at home – was raised vegetarian. However have started eating meat and most of my friends eat meat. The part I struggle the most is buying meat. Can you please help me here and tell me what kind of bone in chicken you have used. The leg/ thigh or the ones called drumsticks. Sorry for the ignorance on this topic !.
Most of the south indian recipes use chicken without the skin. So you need to peel off the skin away. If you like the skin, go ahead and use it.
For biryani, usually I buy a whole chicken from the butcher and ask him to cut it into 15-18 pieces depending on the size of the chicken.
I understand that whole chicken might not always be feasible.
If buying from grocery store, go for whole leg (the drumstick plus the thigh).
If you cant get the whole leg, then drumsticks are a good choice.
I would avoid chicken drumette – drumette is nothing but chicken wings.
Do not buy chicken breasts or use boneless chicken as the bones have lot of flavour and bone broth while cooking is what flavours the rice.
Thanks so much – I am going give this a shot this weekend. Fingers crossed
Sure. Hope you like it.
It came out well. For the first time attempt at any meat my guest were super impressed. I shared your Chapathi recipe with them too 🙂 Now you have another Autolyse family (Wink). This is like a life hack blog for me 🙂
Thanks
Aparan
Thank you so much.
Hi suthuna,
I have tried this briyani with ready made masala and it is the best briyani I have ever had.. It came out really well.. I used Shan chicken briyani and additionally I added tomatoes a d spices.. Thanks for your recipe.. keep going..
Thank you so much!