Instant Pot Chicken Biryani (High Protein)

My Instant Pot chicken biryani is a higher protein and lower calorie version of one of my favorite dishes. This healthy chicken biryani gives you all the warm spices and layered flavor, without needing to spend hours in the kitchen.

Growing up in an Indian home, biryani was a STAPLE meal at all our celebrations. It’s a decadent dish, dripping with ghee and oil, full of flavors, textures and delicious aromas. The kind of meal my mom would spend several hours making. It was delicious but definitely not something you could eat (or cook) on a random Tuesday night.

This Instant Pot chicken biryani is NOT my mom’s biryani.

But honestly, that’s a good thing. Because it’s lighter in a calories, super quick to make, and helps me hit my macros goals. Which means I can eat this any dang time I want, no need to wait for a holiday or special occasion.

What Makes This Chicken Biryani Macro-Friendly?

• For starters, we’re kicking up the protein by adding a generous amount of lean chicken. I prefer to use chicken thighs for the flavor, but the recipe will work with chicken breast if you’re looking to save a few more calories, too.
• Traditional chicken biryani is PACKED with fat. The raw rice is typically fried in oil and ghee before steaming, and the onions are deep fried in fat, and then once the dish is cooked, it’s standard to drizzle a whole lot of butter and ghee on top. We’re making this entire recipe with just a bit of oil.
• And finally, we’re kicking up the protein (and flavor) by making a high protein raita sauce to serve on top. Raita is a cooling yogurt sauce and it’s SO delicious.

Instant Pot Chicken Biryani Ingredients & Recipe Notes

• Chicken thighs – I prefer the flavor of chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breast to save some calories and fat if you prefer.
• Ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil – Traditional biryani uses ghee but this recipe is just as delicious with olive oil.
• Onion – Any color will work
• Jalapeños – These are optional and will provide a mild heat. You can leave out for a milder dish or substitute with Thai green chilies if you want more heat.
• Spices – Garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri red chili (or paprika), salt + pepper.
  • Kashmiri chili is a popular Indian spice used more for its color than its heat. Please DO NOT substitute this spice with cayenne. If you don’t have it, a good substitute would be paprika.
• 1 cup rice – I prefer a long grain rice like basmati. Make sure you wash your rice!!
• Cilantro – I know people have a love hate relationship with cilantro, so if you hate it, substitute mint. Both will work well in this Instant Pot chicken biryani recipe.
• Ginger-garlic paste – This is a staple ingredient in most Indian homes, but can be a bit tricky to find if you don’t have access to an Indian grocery store. Don’t stress, you can easily substitute an equal amount of minced ginger and garlic.

I love serving this high protein biryani with raita (recipe below) but you could also substitute with a ready-made greek yogurt tzatziki.

High Protein Raita Recipe

Ingredients:

• Small cucumber (100g), finely diced
• 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (substitute with mint if preferred)
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together and chill for 15-20 minutes. You can mix in a splash of milk if you prefer it less thick. Serve biriyani with a large spoonful of raita.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

• Set the Instant Pot to saute. Once hot, add in your ghee or olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally until browned, or about 8 minutes.
• Add in the ginger-garlic paste and finely diced jalapeños. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add in your chopped chicken, salt, and all the spices. Coat chicken in the spices and cook, stirring often until just starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
• Turn off the Instant Pot and add in a splash of water.
• VERY IMPORTANT: You’ll want to make sure to fully deglaze the bottom of the instant with the water, scraping up any browned bits. This will help make sure you don’t get a “burn” alert on the Instant Pot.
• Sprinkle the chopped cilantro in an even layer on top of the chicken, and then layer the cooked rice. DO NOT MIX.
• Add in water + additional salt.
• Turn Instant Pot on to manual pressure, and cook for 6 minutes. Once done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure. Gently mix and fluff the biryani before serving.

What to Serve with Chicken Biryani

• Raita (Yogurt sauce)
• Cucumber salad
• Tossed salad

Thanks for checking out my recipe. If you enjoyed this one, try my beef keema rice recipe (very similar to biryani!)