Chicken Biryani - Slow Cooker Recipe

This has gone on to become a favorite dish not just at our table at home, but also ‘The’ dish I am asked to bring to pot lucks and get-togethers. I make this often when we have company and love the process as much as the end result.


As with everything else that I cook in my kitchen, the recipe is, a method in progress. I always alter/substitute, look for short cuts to make everything faster and easier.

The recipe below is a result of multiple trials and errors on my end. It is a coming together of many a critical correction. Here's hoping you will use this as YOUR template to create your own signature Chicken Biryani.

PS: At the very bottom of this post is a complete list of Ingredients.

For ease, I am going to break down the process into 3 main parts.

Part 1: The Chicken

Bone-in Chicken  about 2 lb.

4 tbsp Yogurt

4 tbsp Lime juice

2 tbsp of powdered spices (red chili, cumin, coriander, turmeric, biryani masala)

2 tbsp worth of whole spices (Cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, cloves)

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

2 Tbsp. coconut oil / or oil of choice

Salt to taste

Clean and cut the chicken. In a big mixing bowl prepare a mixture of all the rest (except oil) of the ingredients. Add the chicken pieces to it and mix to coat completely. Marinate this mixture in the refrigerator overnight.

In a deep bottom pan, heat the oil and fry the marinated chicken, just enough to sear slightly and set aside.

Part 2: The Garnish

1 large Onion – thin/long sliced

2 Tbsp. coconut oil / or oil of choice

2 cups of fresh chopped herbs and chilies – Cilantro, mint, basil, jalapenos/Green chilies.

4 tbsp. ghee/clarified butter or melted unsalted butter

4 tbsp Lemon/lime juice

½ tsp. Saffron strands dissolved in 1 tbsp warm milk

Fry the onion in the oil until golden brown, drain and keep aside.

Part 3: The Rice

2 ½ cup rice

2 ½ cup water

2 tbsp worth of whole spices (Cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, cloves)

Salt to taste

Wash and rinse the rice. Add the rice and all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for about 12 mins. Stir once in between. The rice will be par boiled at the end of this process.

Slow Cooking:

Grease the inner dish of the slow cooker and set it to warm on low.

Layer 1: Add all the fried/seared chicken from Part 1 above, to form the bottom most first layer in the dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the fresh chopped herbs and chilies mix (from Part 2) on top of the chicken.

Layer 2: Add half of the cooked rice on top of this to form the second layer. Add another 1/3 of the fresh chopped herbs and chilies mix, along with ½ of the fried onions, ½ of the ghee/butter and ½ of the lime juice, all from Part 2 garnish list above.

Layer 3: Add the remaining half of the cooked rice on top of this to form the third layer. Add the last 1/3 of the fresh chopped herbs and chilies mix, along with the remaining ½ of the fried onions, ½ of the ghee/butter and ½ of the lime juice, all from Part 2 garnish list. Sprinkle, the 1 tbsp saffron milk on top.

Cover the cooker with a sheet of aluminum foil and close the lid. Cook on low for 3- 31/2 hours.



Mid way check to see if the rice is drying up on top. If so sprinkle a little water around the edges.

At the end of the 3/ 3 ½ hours mix the meat and rice together and serve hot with your choice of Raita.



PS: I have broken up the ingredients list above for ease of prep. This below is a list of all ingredients, to facilitate a shopping list if need be.

Complete List of Ingredients:

Bone - in Chicken  about 2 lb.

2 ½ cup rice

2 ½ cup water

1 large Onion – thin/long sliced

¼ cup Yogurt

½ Cup Lemon/lime juice

2 tbsp of powdered spices (red chili, cumin, coriander, turmeric, biryani masala)

¼ cup worth of whole spices (Cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, cloves)

2 cups of fresh chopped herbs and chilies – Cilantro, mint, basil, jalapenos/Green chilies.

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

¼ cup. coconut oil / or oil of choice

¼ cup. ghee/clarified butter or melted unsalted butter

½ tsp. Saffron strands dissolved in 1 tbsp warm milk

Salt to taste