This Biryani-Style Roast Chicken Dinner Is my Go To for company!

 This dish embodies everything I love in a roast chicken dinner: 

juicy meat, fluffy rice, and tender vegetables, all enhanced by an incredible blend of toasted spices.

A spiced yogurt marinade tenderizes and seasons the chicken, with saffron adding a rich flavor and golden hue. 

Toasting whole spices and grinding them into a coarse powder infuses the dish with powerful aroma and flavor. 

Caramelized onions provide a deep flavor base and a flavorful garnish. 

Using a Hyderabadi-style biryani technique, this recipe combines juicy meat, fluffy rice, and tender vegetables, making it my go-to dinner party recipe.

Personal Background As a South Indian who grew up in Texas, my concept of "home food" blends my family's Tamilian cuisine with Texan influences. 

My roast chicken recipe reflects both: a Texan love for a big roast bird cooked in a cast iron skillet, combined with the spice profile and cooking technique of an Indian biryani.

What is Biryani?

 Biryani is a celebrated Indian dish, featuring perfectly cooked spiced basmati rice with meat and/or vegetables. 

It has many regional variations across India, evolving through the Mughal Empire's influence. 

The Hyderabadi biryani, which I incorporate into this recipe, involves simultaneous cooking of meat and rice, heavy use of spices, steaming to promote cooking, and a variety of textures in the final dish.

Making My Biryani-Style Roast

 ChickenSpice Blend:

 Freshly toast whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, and more, then grind them.

 This creates a bold aroma and rich color essential for a good biryani. 

I use Pequin chile for a Texan twist and allspice berries instead of anise.

Yogurt Marinade: 

A yogurt-based marinade ensures moist, juicy meat.

 Let the chicken sit in the marinade for at least two hours, or preferably overnight, for the best flavor.

Vegetables: 

Incorporate potatoes, zucchini, and caramelized onions for a complete meal. Potatoes pair naturally with chicken, and squash melds into the rice during cooking.

Par-Cook the Rice: 

Par-cook basmati rice in chicken stock to add another layer of chicken flavor and ensure even cooking.

Cook in Cast Iron:

 A cast iron skillet or Dutch oven retains heat well, ensuring a great sear on the chicken and proper cooking of rice and vegetables. 

Use a 14- or 16-inch skillet for ample

 space.

Spatchcock the Chicken: 

Butterflying the chicken allows for even cooking and better flavor integration with the rice and vegetables.

Presentation: 

Let the dish rest covered for 15 minutes post-cooking.

 For a great presentation, transfer the rice and vegetables to a serving platter and top with the spiced chicken.

Recipe Details Ingredients:

For Potatoes with Saffron

 Yogurt:1/3 cup plain whole 

milk yogurt2 pinches of saffron threads1 tablespoon ghee1/2 pound small red potatoesKosher salt

For Biryani Spice Mix:

1 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds1 

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns1

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds1 

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds1 

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds6 dried Pequin chile 

peppers8 green cardamom pods1-inch piece of cinnamon stick4 

whole cloves4 dried allspice berries1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For Chicken and Marinade:

1 bay leaf1 1/2 cups plain whole milk yogurt15 dried Pequin chile peppers,

 coarsely ground6 medium cloves garlic, chopped1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated2 tablespoons ghee

1 tablespoon jaggery or coconut sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmericJuice from 1 lime

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro3 1/2-4 

1/2 pound whole chicken

For the Biryani:

1 cup basmati rice1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1 tablespoon ghee2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced3 medium zucchini, sliced into half moonsFor Garnish:

Fresh cilantro, chopped1 lime, halved

Directions:

Saffron Yogurt and Potatoes:

Mix saffron strands with yogurt and ghee, refrigerate 6-12 hours.Boil potatoes with salt until tender, drain, and combine with saffron yogurt.

Biryani Spice Mix:

Toast spices individually, grind into coarse powder, store in airtight container.

Chicken and Marinade:

Toast bay leaf. 

Combine yogurt, spices, garlic, ginger, ghee, jaggery, honey, salt, lime juice, mint, and cilantro.Spatchcock the chicken, coat with marinade, refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Biryani:

Preheat oven to 425℉. Rinse and par-cook rice in chicken stock.Cook onions until golden brown, set aside.

 Sear chicken in cast iron skillet, add onions, zucchini, and yogurt-dressed potatoes. 

Layer par-cooked rice, cover and bake until chicken is cooked through (about 1 hour).

Serving:

Let rest 15 minutes, transfer rice and vegetables to a platter, top with chicken. Squeeze lime over and sprinkle with cilantro.

Special Equipment:

Cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, spice

 grinder or mortar and pestleNotes:

Jaggery can be found at Desi food stores or substituted with coconut sugar.

If Pequin chiles are unavailable, substitute with chile de árbol or Tien Tsin chiles.

Store marinated chicken in a non-reactive container.

Spice mix can be stored for up to 2 weeks.

 Caramelized onions can be refrigerated up to 3 days ahead. 

Potatoes with saffron yogurt can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Make-Ahead and Storage:Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.