Chicken Tikka Biryani

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If you love chicken tikka and biryani, this is one of those recipes that makes perfect sense. Rather than spending hours layering rice, sealing a pot and cooking everything on dum, this chicken tikka biryani takes a much quicker curry-house approach. You fry fluffy basmati rice with smoky pieces of chicken tikka, spices, fresh herbs and a wonderfully concentrated biryani sauce.

About This Chicken Tikka Biryani Recipe

The secret to perfection with this recipe is the sauce. You make a small batch of richly spiced onion and tomato sauce with yoghurt, ginger, garlic and fresh herbs. Some goes into the rice, where it coats every grain with flavour, while the rest is there for you to spoon over the finished biryani.

It gives you that lovely combination of dry, fried rice and rich, saucy bits that makes curry house style biryanis so popular.

This isn't intended to be a traditional regional biryani. You will find some of those here on my website too. There are countless traditional versions of biryani across the Indian subcontinent like the slowly cooked dum biryanis. Every region in India has their own take.

In British curry houses, Biryani has developed its own identity over the years. Methods like you use in the recipe evolved to suit fast restaurant service.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this Chicken Tikka Biryani recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.

See recipe card for quantities.

Cooked chicken tikka
Basmati rice
Rapeseed or another vegetable oil
Onions
Cumin seeds
Ground cumin
Kashmiri chilli powder
Ground turmeric
Garam masala
Salt
Fresh coriander
Fresh mint leaves
Ghee
Chopped tomatoes
Green finger chillies
Lemon

Step by step photos

Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through the recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.

Step 1: Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the onion with ½ tsp salt and fry until soft and turning golden brown.

Adding garlic and ginger paste and ground spices to the frying onions in the pot.

Step 2: Stir in the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute. Then add the ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground turmeric and garam masala. Stir these spices into the fried onion for about 30 seconds.

Adding the chopped tomatoes to the pot and bringing it to a simmer.

Step 3: Pour in the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and the oil begins to separate.T

Adding yoghurt to the simmering tomatoes.

Step 4: Turn the heat down and whisk in the yoghurt one tablespoon at a time. Add the water and simmer for another 5 minutes until you have a thick, pourable sauce.

Step 5: Then stir in the coriander, mint, green chilli and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set about half aside for serving.

Step 6: To make the biryani, heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and sliced onion and stir-fry until the onion is lightly browned. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 7: Add the green chillies, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala and ground cumin. Stir for about 20 seconds, then add the chicken tikka. Toss everything together over the high heat for 1–2 minutes.

Step 8: Add the cold cooked rice and toss lightly. Don't stir it constantly or too vigourously. Give the rice time to sit against the hot pan so that it picks up a little colour and char.Pour in half of the remaining biryani sauce and toss it through the rice.

coating the rice in the chickne tikka biryani flavours

Step 9: You want the rice coated and beautifully coloured, but not wet so be a bit careful when adding the sauce and don’t add too much.

Step 10: Stir in the butter or ghee, coriander, mint and lemon juice. Spoon the biryani onto a serving platter or individual plate and serve with the sauce.

Why you'll love this chicken tikka biryani

The chicken tikka is what makes this biryani special. Rather than cooking raw chicken with the rice, you start with beautifully charred, spiced chicken tikka. Chicken tikka is traditionally marinated in yoghurt and spices before being cooked at high heat, giving it those wonderful smoky, charred edges.

You can make the tikka especially for this recipe, but this is also a brilliant recipe for using leftover chicken tikka. In fact, that's one of the reasons I love it.

The rice should be light and fluffy, with individual grains rather than a soft, wet texture. You need to cook your basmati rice ahead of time and chill it thoroughly in the fridge before frying. Cold rice is a must as trying to fry warm or hot rice will leave you with clumpy, mushy rice.

Then there's the sauce. Don't be tempted to make loads of it. You only need enough to flavour the rice and provide a little extra to spoon over the top. Keeping the sauce concentrated means you get plenty of flavour without turning your fried rice into a curry.

Equipment

You don't need any special equipment for the recipe but a small saucepan, large frying pan and spatula will come in handy.

Storage

Storage and reheating

Any leftover biryani should be cooled quickly and refrigerated in a covered container. Use within 1–2 days and reheat it until piping hot throughout.

I prefer reheating it in a frying pan with a splash of water and a little oil. This helps loosen the rice without making it wet.

Only reheat the rice once and make sure it is thoroughly hot before serving.

Top Tip

Get your pan really hot.

This is a quick-fried biryani, so you want plenty of heat. A large wok or frying pan gives the rice room to move, while high heat helps create those slightly toasted edges that make restaurant-style fried rice so addictive.

Final thoughts

There are times when you want a traditional biryani, with beautifully layered rice, slow cooking and all the theatre that comes with opening the pot.

And then there are times when you just want chicken tikka biryani on the table quickly.

That's where this recipe comes in.

The combination of smoky chicken tikka, fluffy basmati rice, aromatic spices and that concentrated biryani sauce makes this one of my favourite curry-house shortcuts. It's fast, it's packed with flavour and, most importantly, it tastes like something you'd happily order from your favourite Indian takeaway.

Once you've made the sauce, you'll probably find yourself using it for other rice biryani dishes too. It makes a delicious side for many rice dishes.

FAQ

Can you make this chicken tikka biryani ahead?

You can prepare almost everything ahead of time.

The chicken tikka can be cooked a day in advance and refrigerated. The biryani sauce can also be made ahead and kept chilled. Most importantly, the basmati rice can be cooked, cooled and refrigerated ready for frying.

Does the rice have to be cold before frying?

Yes! If you fry it warm or hot, it will break apart and turn mushy.

Can you use other protiens with this recipe?

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:

Have you tried this chicken tikka biryani recipe?

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Yield: 4 to 6

Chicken Tikka Biryani

This quick and easy curry house style biryani will get you restaurant quality results. Everthing can be prepared one or two days ahead of assembly biryani so it is great for work nights or party nights with friends.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE BIRYANI
600g cooked chicken tikka, cut into bite-sized pieces
600g cooked and chilled basmati rice
2 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
2 green chillies, finely sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp lemon juice
FOR THE BIRYANI SAUCE
2 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
200g tinned chopped tomatoes or about 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp salt
100g plain natural yoghurt
100ml water
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

To make the biryani sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the onion with ½ tsp salt and fry until soft and turning golden brown. This will take about 8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute. Then add the ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground turmeric and garam masala. Stir these spices into the fried onion for about 30 seconds and then pour in the chopped tomatoes.
Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and the oil begins to separate.
Turn the heat down and whisk in the yoghurt. Add the water and simmer for another 5 minutes until you have a thick, pourable sauce. Stir in the coriander, mint, green chilli and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set about half aside for serving.
To make the biryani, heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and sliced onion and stir-fry until the onion is lightly browned. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the green chillies, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala and ground cumin. Stir for about 20 seconds, then add the chicken tikka. Toss everything together over the high heat for 1–2 minutes.
Add the cold cooked rice and toss vigorously. Don't stir it constantly. Give the rice time to sit against the hot pan so that it picks up a little colour and char.
Pour in half of the remaining biryani sauce and toss it through the rice. You want the rice coated and beautifully coloured, but not wet so be a bit careful when adding the sauce and don’t add too much. Stir in the butter or ghee, coriander, mint and lemon juice.
Spoon the biryani onto a serving platter and pour the reserved biryani sauce over the top or serve it in heated bowls for people to add to their plates of biryani themselves. Finish with more coriander, mint and a few sliced green chillies.