Some recipes are so easy to make and then so tasty to eat that they become a regular part of your cooking repertoire. And this slow cooker chicken biryani is one of mine. Having made this over the years in a pan on the hob, it has always been a deliciously filling and comforting meal. But when I started using my slow cooker more, I tweaked this easy biryani recipe so it could be done without any fuss and cooked all in one pot.
What is in this easy chicken biryani recipe?
While I don’t claim this is an authentic chicken biryani, it certainly has all the flavour with tender pieces of chicken and fluffy basmati rice. I’ve been making this biryani for years now, and it’s still one of the most-requested meals when we have friends over for dinner.
To make this easy biryani recipe all you need are a few ingredients. The key here is to make sure to marinate the chicken thighs in the spiced yoghurt for as long as possible. This will impart the best flavour and ensure the biryani is super tasty and delicious. And to make this slow cooker chicken biryani even simpler, use basmati rice pouches from the supermarket. You don’t even have to cook rice! Here are the spices and ingredients that are needed:
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boneless chicken thighs
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plain yoghurt
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garlic
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ginger
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onion
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salt
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lemon juice
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garam masala
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turmeric
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cumin
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cayenne pepper
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paprika
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bay leaves
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chicken stock pot
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butter
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cooked basmati rice – using rice pouches makes this incredibly easy
How to make this slow cooker biryani
This slow cooker recipe really is super easy. There’s no pre-cooking or browning of any ingredients. The hardest part is waiting for the chicken to marinate in the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, spices and salt. Once the chicken has marinated, add it, alongside the marinade to the onions, butter and stock pot. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, stirring part way through and when you are about to serve, add the basmati rice and combine it well so the rice is coated. Then sprinkle with fresh coriander before serving.
Can you make this easy chicken biryani recipe spicier?
Yes, my kids like to eat this biryani, which is why I hold back on the heat. But if you want it to be fiery, add some fresh chillies to the marinade, or even dried chillies or more cayenne pepper.
Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Absolutely. Chicken breasts will also work for this slow cooker biryani – and will cook for the same amount of time.
What if I don’t have time to marinate the chicken?
I know I’ve said that the longer you leave the chicken to marinate, the better. However, it’s not always possible to pre-plan meals or marinate ahead of time, so still make this biryani recipe without any marinating time. If you can leave the chicken to infuse even for around 15 minutes, the flavours will still impart in the cooking sauce, and still taste delicious. Go for it.
Can I freeze this chicken biryani?
Yes, leftovers always taste better in my opinion. You can put the biryani in a suitable container and refrigerate for up to two days making sure you reheat thoroughly. Or you can freeze for up to three months. Defrost fully before reheating in the microwave.
What to serve with this biryani
I love lots of fresh coriander sprinkled on top and another dollop of yoghurt. It also goes well with poppadoms or naan. You could even serve it alongside a vegetable curry or dhal.
Quick questions about slow cooker biryani
Can I use brown rice instead of white basmati? Yes, but you’ll need to cook the brown rice first as it takes much longer than white rice.
How spicy is this chicken biryani? It’s mild to medium. The cayenne adds warmth, but it’s family-friendly. Add fresh chillies for more heat.
Do I have to marinate overnight? No, even 3 hours works well. But overnight gives the deepest flavour. In a pinch, 15 minutes is better than nothing.
Other slow cooker recipes you might like
Slow cooker bolognese
Slow cooker beef curry
Slow cooker Chinese chicken curry
Slow cooker beef and chorizo
Slow cooker Thai massaman curry
Slow cooker ham joint in coke
Here are some other Indian-inspired meals
Chicken tikka masala
Indian spiced chicken
Easy chicken curry
Halloumi curry
Easy chicken biryani recipe [slow cooker]
Ingredients
- 650 g skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons plain yoghurt
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ½-1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 chicken stock pot
- 15 g butter
- 2 bay leaves
- 500 g cooked basmati rice I use 2 x basmati rice pouches from most supermarkets
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the chicken thighs, yoghurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, and garam masala. Then add the lemon juice and salt and combine all the ingredients. See note 1
- Make sure all the chicken thighs are covered in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours. Or even overnight. The longer the chicken marinates for, the more depth of flavour the chicken will have.
- When you're ready to cook, add the chicken and yoghurt marinade to the slow cooker pot. Then add the onions, bay leaves, butter and chicken stock pot.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours (or high for 2-3 hours), giving the chicken a stir half way through.
- When you're ready to serve, add the basmati rice and stir through, making sure all the rice is combined well with the chicken and the sauce. See note 2
- Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with extra yoghurt.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this chicken biryani recipe?
If you made this recipe for slow cooker biryani, please leave me some star ratings and a comment below or tag @cooksimplyathome on Instagram. You can find other recipe ideas here.
Easy recipe to follow. Really tasty, made it as mild as described. Have always wanted to cook biryani and glad I now have. Marinaded
over night and threw in the slow cooker at 1400. Enjoyed a great meal at 2000 with a cold beer after a day of football. Thank you.
I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed this recipe. It’s definitely one of our favourites
Looks great! How much liquid would you suggest adding with the chicken stock?
Thanks for leaving a comment – no need to add any liquid to the stock pot, just add the stock jelly or cube directly into the slow cooker with the other ingredients. Enjoy!
Do you heat the cooked rice pouches in the microwave first of just mix them straight into the mixture from the pouch and then heat through for a while in the slow cooker?
Hello, you don’t need to preheat the rice pouches you can just add them straight to the slow cooker to heat through. I would suggest before opening the pouches to break up the rice using your hands, as they can clump together.
Can you use boneless skinless breasts for this recipe? If so, does the cooking time change? Do you recommend cutting the chicken in cubes and cooking, or leaving the breasts whole and cooking?
Hi Ryan, yes you can use chicken breasts too – you can leave them whole and break them apart one cooked or even cut into large chunks
Thank you-it turned out fantastic!! Great recipe.
I know this is a late ask, but what is a chicken stock pot? Like I just add a can of stock? I feel like I am missing something and would love to make this dish.
In the UK it’s a stock jelly pot instead of a stock powdered cube but you could use either.
Thanks so much!
I had to look this up – apparently it’s 500ml of chicken stock (or that’s what I used anyways)
Ah I just add a stock jelly pot or stock cube, rather than liquid, but pleased it still worked for you
Can you add vegetables to this? If so, what veggies would you suggest, and at what point would you add them to the pot?
I was thinking finely chopped marrow and/or baby spinach leaves
Hello, yes adding veggies is a great touch – particularly spinach. If you’re adding fresh spinach I would stir it through around an hour before adding the rice. Mushrooms, peas, peppers you can also add around 30 minutes before.
Tried this for the first time recently and it was delicious. Marinated chicken overnight and doubled the recipe – worked out really great and a new favorite!
so happy to read
Is this recipe freezable?
Yes you can, please refer to the post above the recipe card for more details.
I followed this recipe and marinated the chicken overnight. I cooked it for about six hours in the slow cooker on high as I like my chicken very soft and served with Roti bread – absolutely delicious!
Happy you enjoyed it 🙂
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s amazing. If you’re in the US and can’t find chicken stock cubes, you’re not alone. All you have to do is use a tablespoon of “Better Than Bouillon” and you’re set.
I am so glad you enjoy it – and happy that you’ve suggested a great alternative to chicken stock cubes for my US friends. Thank you!
Made it tonight so I can have some lunches at work this week. Very tasty. Very easy. Good call by Josh for suggesting “Better than Boullion” for those of us who don’t have access to the chicken stock pot. My hubby, who is a strictly steak and potatoes guy, had some for dinner (which is a thumbs up and a shock that he tried it….there is hope). I can’t wait to taste it tomorrow after the chicken has rested all night in the juices. The house smells wonderful. Thank you.
Love having your lunch sorted for the rest of the week! And glad your husband gave it a try too.
Really tasty and simple but too much salt for my taste. Will be using half as much next time.
If one plans to be out all day, is it ok if this isn’t stirred halfway through cooking? And what is the longest amount of time this can be kept on low?
That’s the beauty cook on low for anything up to 6-8 hours – the longer you leave it, the more the chicken will break up, so don’t cut the chicken before cooking. Add the rice right before serving.
Hi
Can you add uncooked rice instead of pre-cooked? If so, at what time would you recommend
I haven’t tested it with uncooked rice – so this is a guess. The reason being, different models of slow cookers will make a difference. And if you leave the rice too long it could become mushy. If you want to try I would suggest adding uncooked rice an hour from serving and see how it does. And make sure to stir – adding any water or stock if needed.
We made this – and wow, very good. We doubled recipe and did half thigh and half breast. The only change we made was adding some coconut milk at the end.
Always wanted to make this and found recipe easy to follow and my wife says it’s the best curry she has ever had.Thankyou.