Quinoa chicken biryani | gluten free recipe

The quinoa chicken biryani tastes almost like the original chicken biryani made with rice. Except that this is way healthier, tastier and lighter on the stomach!

I love experimenting with new and healthy ingredients in my dishes. And recently it has been with quinoa. Although expensive, this ingredient is known for so many benefits that I just wanted to try.

Did you know that quinoa is not even a grain?!! Yes it is a seed from a plant of the amaranth family. It originated in the Andean region of northwest South America and is now cultivated in several parts of the world. In ancient times it was used to feed livestock!

Nutritional benefits of Quinoa

1 cup of cooked quinoa consists of 8g of protein!!

It is a great source of dietary fibre (higher than most grains), several B vitamins, including 46% DV for folate, and the dietary minerals magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.

It is gluten free and one food that contains sufficient amounts of all the nine essential amino acids.

It’s taste is very different from any other grain. I loved it for it’s bite and roasted flavour.

The quinoa chicken biryani I made is just like the chicken biryani I make with rice.

Step by step instructions for quinoa chicken biryani

First, in a mixer-grinder make a paste with ginger, garlic, green chillies, small onions and coriander leaves. Keep aside.

Now heat 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Once hot add the cashews and raisins you need for garnish and roast them till they’re a nice brown. Keep aside.

Next add the thinly sliced onions. Roast them till they reach the crunch stage, ie fried and brown. Keep aside.

Now add the onions and some salt. Sauté till they become slightly brown.

Now add the prepared paste and mix well. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Next add turmeric powder and biryani masala and mix. Add water and let it cook for another 2 minutes.

Once the masalas have all cooked and the raw smell disappears, add the chicken pieces and coat well with the masala.

Next add the chopped tomatoes. Mix, add water and cover to cook for 20 minutes or till the chicken is done.

Turn off the flame and add curd or yoghurt. Give it a mix and take the pan off the flame. The gravy part is now ready.

For cooking quinoa, first rinse and clean the seeds well before using. You don’t need to soak if it is processed quinoa which is what you usually get in the market (looks white in colour).

Now in a vessel heat 1/2 cup of ghee. Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, mace, cumin, bay leaf) and give it a stir.

Once it sizzles, add 1/2 cup of onions, 1/2 tsp of ginger garlic paste and stir till the onions become translucent.

Now add the drained quinoa seeds and stir for a few seconds. Next add 3 cups of water, ad 1 tsp of salt and cover to cook.

Keep checking the quinoa because it takes very little time to cook. Mine took hardly 15 minutes.

For making the quinoa chicken biryani dish, take another deep vessel. Sprinkle and brush a few drops of ghee in the bottom. Now make the first layer of quinoa.

Add the prepared garnish (fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves, fried cashews and raisins)

Next add the chicken gravy carefully over this layer to make another layer. Be generous and spread it well.

Next add the last layer of quinoa. Repeat the garnish.

Cover and bake for a few minutes and voila you have a wonderfully tasting and nutritious quinoa chicken biryani for a meal!!

Here’s the recipe card for Quinoa chicken biryani

Quinoa chicken biryani

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Calories 325 kcal

Ingredients

  

For paste

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 inch chopped ginger
• 5 green chillies
• 2 tbsps coriander leaves

For quinoa

• 1.5 cups quinoa
• 5 tbsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf medium
• 5 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• 1 mace 2 pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

For garnish

• 5-8 cashew nuts
• 5-8 raisins
• 1 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 cup chopped mint and coriander leaves

For chicken gravy

• 600g chicken
• 1.5 cups chopped onions
• 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 tbsp biryani masala powder
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 0.5 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsps curd
• salt as required

Instructions

 

• First, in a mixer-grinder make a paste with ginger, garlic, green chillies, small onions and coriander leaves. Keep aside.
• Now heat 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Once hot add the cashews and raisins you need for garnish and roast them till they’re a nice brown. Keep aside.
• Next add the thinly sliced onions. Roast them till they reach the crunch stage, ie fried and brown. Keep aside.
• Now add the onions and some salt. Sauté till they become slightly brown.
• Now add the prepared paste and mix well. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Next add turmeric powder and biryani masala and mix. Add water and let it cook for another 2 minutes.
• Once the masalas have all cooked and the raw smell disappears, add the chicken pieces and coat well with the masala.
• Next add the chopped tomatoes. Mix, add water and cover to cook for 20 minutes or till the chicken is done.
• Turn off the flame and add curd or yoghurt. Give it a mix and take the pan off the flame. The gravy part is now ready.
• For cooking quinoa, first rinse and clean the seeds well before using. Soak for half an hour and use a sieve to drain the water.
• Now in a vessel heat 1/2 cup of ghee. Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, mace, cumin, bay leaf) and give it a stir.
• Once it sizzles, add 1/2 cup of onions, 1/2 tsp of ginger garlic paste and stir till the onions become translucent.
• Now add the drained quinoa seeds and stir for a few seconds. Next add 3 cups of water, ad 1 tsp of salt and cover to cook.
• Keep checking the quinoa because it takes very little time to cook. Mine took hardly 15 minutes.
• For making the quinoa chicken biryani dish, take another deep vessel. Sprinkle and brush a few drops of ghee in the bottom. Now make the first layer of quinoa.
• Add the prepared garnish (fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves, fried cashews and raisins)
• Next add the chicken gravy carefully over this layer to make another layer. Be generous and spread it well.
• Next add the last layer of quinoa. Repeat the garnish.
• Cover and bake for a few minutes and voila you have a wonderfully tasting and nutritious quinoa chicken biryani for a meal!!

Keyword chicken recipes, diabetic friendly, gluten free recipes

Want a bite?

If you try this recipe do tag me on Facebook @beingrubitah or Instagram @healthy_indian_meals or on Twitter @BeingRubitah to connect and celebrate the joy of eating home made healthy food!

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