Quinoa Chicken Biryani

Swap out the white rice for protein-rich quinoa in this delicious Quinoa Chicken Biryani.

Biryani is a popular South Asian dish that consists of layering cooked rice and seasoned meat. Here I’ve replaced white rice, which is high in carbohydrates and low in nutritional value, with quinoa.

Quinoa is actually a seed, rather than a grain. It originated in South America and is considered a complete protein source.

Quinoa is high in:

• protein.
• fiber.
• antioxidants.
• bone-building magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.
• prebiotics- food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

This dish is a little time-consuming and not something I’d make every day, but it’s definitely worth the effort for a special treat! Not to mention it’s bursting with nutrients from all the anti-inflammatory herbs and spices.

This recipe has been modified from Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani from Fauzia’s Kitchen Fun.

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Quinoa Chicken Biryani

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 1 medium chicken cut into 8 pieces
• 1.5 cups quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves (spices for cooking the quinoa)
• 2 onions thinly sliced

For the Marinade:

• 1.5 cups plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 whole cardamom pods
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (whole or ground)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 1-2 green chilli peppers, seeds removed and chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
• fresh cilantro and mint, chopped

Instructions

• Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add the chicken. Cover and leave in the fridge for 6-8 hours. (I've been in a hurry and only left it for 1 hour, and it was still delicious)
• In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa with the salt and "spices for cooking the quinoa" and cook for about 7 minutes, until the quinoa is half way cooked. Strain the water from the quinoa.
• Saute the onions in butter until lightly brown.
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot, put the chicken with all it's marinade in the bottom. Add half of the quinoa. Sprinkle some chopped coriander/mint leaves and the sautéed onions. Then add the remaining quinoa. Cover the dish tightly and cook for 5 minutes on high heat, then 15 minutes on medium heat. Continue cooking on low heat until chicken is cooked through (about 10 more minutes).