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Marinate the Chicken (Optional): If you have time, marinate the cut
chicken with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the contents of the Marinade spice kit for 30 minutes. - Sauté and Add Ingredients: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode on the "Less" setting. Add 2 tablespoons of butter or oil and let it melt. Once the oil is hot, add the Biryani spice kit contents and stir for 15 seconds.
- Add Chicken: Add the marinated chicken to the Instant Pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Rice and Water: Wash and drain the rice. Add the drained rice to the Instant Pot along with 1.5 cups of water. Cancel the sauté mode.
- Pressure Cook: Close and secure the lid, and turn the pressure valve to the Sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to Manual/Pressure Cook mode on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to Natural Release when done.
Checkout video instructions here
To Serve:
- Garnish with freshly chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve with lightly toasted hamburger buns or dinner rolls.
- Take credit for cooking an awesome Indian dish!
The story of Chicken Biryani
The word "Biryani" is derived from the Persian word "Birian," which means ‘fried before cooking,’ and "Birinj," the Persian word for rice. Many historians believe that biryani originated from Persia and was brought to India by the Mughals. One popular legend tells of Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Shah Jahan, who, upon visiting the army barracks, found the soldiers to be undernourished. She asked the chefs to prepare a balanced dish using meat and rice. The resulting dish was cooked with spices and saffron over a wood fire. Traditionally, biryani was prepared over charcoal in an earthen pot.
