Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

Chicken biryani made in an Instant Pot is a weeknight game-changer – you get the same layered flavours as traditional dum biryani in half the time. This recipe yields aromatic, perfectly cooked biryani with tender chicken every single time.

⏱ Prep: 20 mins🍳 Cook: 30 mins⌛ Total: 50 mins🍕 Serves: 5

Ingredients

  • 750g chicken pieces
  • 2 cups basmati rice, soaked 30 mins and drained
  • 3 tbsp Precious cold pressed groundnut oil
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 cup thick curd
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp biryani masala
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 cup mint leaves
  • 1 cup coriander leaves
  • 4 green chillies, slit
  • Whole spices: 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • Saffron soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk
  • Ghee to drizzle

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with curd, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli, biryani masala, turmeric, and salt for 30 minutes.
  2. Set Instant Pot to Saute mode. Heat oil and fry onions until golden brown.
  3. Add whole spices, green chillies, and ginger-garlic paste (if any remaining). Fry 1 minute.
  4. Add marinated chicken and cook on Saute for 5 minutes, stirring.
  5. Add tomatoes and cook until they soften.
  6. Add drained rice on top of the chicken – do not stir.
  7. Add 2 cups water poured carefully around the edges. Add mint and coriander on top.
  8. Drizzle saffron milk and ghee over the rice.
  9. Close lid, set valve to Sealing. Pressure cook on High for 6 minutes.
  10. Natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release. Fluff gently and serve.
Chef's Tip: Rinse and soak the basmati for a full 30 minutes before cooking – this prevents clumping. Precious cold pressed groundnut oil gives the biryani its base flavour and handles the Saute mode heat without breaking down.

Cook with authentic cold pressed oils — the difference is in every bite.

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Suren

Written by

Suren

Suren is the co-founder of KN Agro Concepts and the creator of Precious cold-pressed oils. Based in Tamil Nadu, he has spent years working directly with traditional Mara Chekku wood-press artisans to bring authentic, chemical-free oils from Coimbatore to health-conscious families across India. He writes about cold-pressed oil, traditional Indian food practices, and the science of natural nutrition.

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