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Instant Pot chicken biryani with distinct basmati rice, chicken thighs, peas, cilantro, and fried onion
TrendyTadka Editorial

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Biryani (Dump & Cook)

A practical Instant Pot chicken biryani that layers spiced boneless chicken thighs and basmati rice for a 35-minute weeknight dinner without scorching the pot.
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Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups 300 g aged basmati rice, rinsed and drained 10 minutes
  • 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or Kashmiri
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil avocado or canola
  • 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup canned petite diced tomatoes thoroughly drained
  • 1/3 cup frozen sweet green peas
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Rinse the basmati rice in a colander until water runs clear; let drain in a fine-mesh strainer for 10 full minutes to remove excess moisture.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, grated ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and kosher salt. Add the chicken thigh pieces and toss until evenly coated.
  3. Turn a 6-quart Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add oil and sliced onion; sauté for 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Press Cancel.
  4. Pour in low-sodium chicken broth. Use a wooden spatula to scrape the stainless steel bottom completely free of browned bits to prevent burn warnings.
  5. Lay the marinated chicken thighs evenly across the bottom. Scatter the drained diced tomatoes over the chicken. Spread the drained basmati rice evenly over the top and press gently with the back of a spoon to submerge in liquid. Do not stir.
  6. Lock the lid and set valve to Sealing. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 6 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then switch valve to Venting to release remaining steam.
  7. Carefully open the lid. Confirm the thickest chicken piece reaches at least 165°F with an instant-read thermometer. Scatter frozen peas over top, close the lid, and let rest on Keep Warm for 3 minutes. Gently fluff rice with a fork, fold in cilantro, and serve.

Notes

Rinsing and draining the rice for 10 minutes is essential for correct liquid balance. Always scrape the pot base completely clean after adding broth to prevent the Burn warning. Add peas after pressure release so they stay sweet and bright green.