Chicken Biryani

What is Chicken Biryani?
Although widely associated with Indian cuisine, Chicken Biryani is a dish that has spread across a wide swath of South Asia, reaching as far west as Iraq and as far east as Indonesia. The vast geographical area Biryani calls home has resulted in a wide variety of preparations and ingredients; however, it is typically prepared by layering seasoned chicken with rice and aromatics and steaming them together.

What does Biryani mean?
The name Biryani is thought to be derived from the Persian word birinj (برنج‎) which means “rice”.

What do you eat with Chicken Biryani?
I like to serve my Chicken Biryani with cooling raita made with yogurt, mint, cilantro, and a pinch of salt, but this is also good with a variety of different chutneys. I know it’s a lot of carbs, but I also love serving biryani with a basket of fresh pillowy naan, my friend Bee over at Rasa Malaysia has a fantastic Fail-Proof Naan recipe that I’m a fan of.

What’s the difference between Biryani and Pulao
Pulao (a.k.a. Pilaf), is also a rice dish that can be found in similar regions of the world as Biryani. While there’s some debate as to the difference between Biryani and Pulao, the latter tends to have less meat and veggies relative to the rice, which means it’s usually served as a side rather than an entree. The second big difference is that Biryani is generally layered and steamed, which creates a wonderful variation in flavor, texture, and color when mixed together.