Chicken Ele Biryani is a classic, flavorful preparation from South Indian cuisine. The biryani is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. This not only enhances the aroma but also locks in moisture, keeping the chicken juicy and tender, the rice perfectly cooked and fluffy, and the earthy fragrance. This biryani is ideal for weekend dinners and holiday celebrations and is also known as Ela biryani or Vazhai Ilai Biryani.
Don't miss out on our popular and easy chicken biryani and dum biryani.
Why cook chicken biryani in banana leaves?
This Chicken Ele Biryani is an age-old technique practiced in South India, Sri Lanka, and coastal regions. When chicken biryani is cooked in banana leaves:
- Natural banana leaf aroma infuses the rice.
- No worries about burning or sticking at the bottom, unlike other dum biryani.
- The chicken remains juicy and tender.
- Uses less oil than other methods.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade, use chicken pieces along with spices such as red chile powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, emon ginger-garlic paste, and cilantro leaves for a fresh aroma.
To cook biryani rice: Basmati preferred—flavour with spices such as bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and peppercorns.
For onion-tomato masala: Onion and tomatoes with spices like red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, tandoori masala, or biryani masala.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
Marinate the chicken
In a bowl, add chicken pieces, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and cilantro. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes.
Sauté the onions.
Add oil and onions and saute until golden. It takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer this to a plate.
Rice preparation
- Wash the basmati rice and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add water and salt to the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Add the soaked rice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorn, and star anise for flavour.
- Drain and set aside when the rice is 80-90% cooked.
Cook the marinated chicken
- Add 1 tablespoon oil and the marinated chicken.
- Cook on one side for 8 to 10 minutes on medium to high flame.
- Flip and cook on the other side for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Set aside.
For the onion tomato masala
- Heat the ghee in a pan. Add onions and green chillies, and sauté until the onions become translucent.
- Add turmeric powder, red chile powder, tandoori masala, salt, coriander powder, tomato, cilantro and mix well.
- Cover and cook until the tomato softens. Sprinkle water if desired.
Assemble and steam the biryani
- Lay softened banana leaves.
- Add the cooked chicken to the banana leaves.
- Add the onion and tomato masala.
- Next, add partially cooked rice.
- Add chopped cilantro, sauteed onions, and roasted cashews.
- Tie the banana leaves to form a pouch.
- Steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips
- Seal the parcel tightly with a rubber band or thread to ensure the steam is enclosed.
- Do not overcook the rice initially.
- Use a steamer, not a pressure cooker.
- To soften the banana leaves, briefly pass them over the flame. This is primarily done to prevent tearing during wrapping. Totally optional.
- If available, please add mint leaves along with coriander leaves for a more authentic flavour.
Serving suggestions
Biryani tastes good when served with onion raita, salan, boiled eggs, or even classic coconut chutney.
More biryani recipes
Recipe card
Chicken Ele Biryani | Spicy South Indian Chicken Biryani
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
- 600 g Chicken
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Red chile powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup Cilantro or Coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon Oil
For the biryani rice
- 1 ½ cups Basmati rice
- Salt
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 Cardamom optional
- 2 Cloves optional
- ½ inch Cinnamon optional
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns optional
- 1 Star anise optional
Saute onions
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 Onions medium-sized, chopped lengthwise
For the onion tomato masala
- 2 teaspoon Ghee
- 2 Onions finely chopped
- 4 Green chillies slit
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chile powder
- 1 teaspoon Biryani masala or Tandoori masala
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 3 to 4 Tomatoes finely chopped
- ¼ cup Cilantro coriander leaves, finely chopped
Wrapping
- Banana leaves washed and softened.
Other ingredients
- Cilantro for garnish
- 2 tablespoon Roasted cashews
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- In a bowl, add chicken pieces, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and cilantro. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes.600 g Chicken, 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste, 1 ½ teaspoon Red chile powder, ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 tablespoon Coriander powder, Juice of 1 lemon, ¼ cup Cilantro or Coriander leaves
Biryani rice preparation
- Wash the basmati rice and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.1 ½ cups Basmati rice
- Add water and salt to the pot and bring it to a boil.Salt
- Add the soaked rice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorn, and star anise for flavour.1 Bay leaf, 2 Cardamom, 2 Cloves, ½ inch Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 Star anise
- Drain and set aside when the rice is 80-90% cooked.
Sauté the onions.
- Add oil and onions and saute until golden. It takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer this to a plate.1 tablespoon Oil, 2 Onions
Cook the marinated chicken
- Add 1 tablespoon oil and the marinated chicken.1 tablespoon Oil
- Cook on one side for 8 to 10 minutes on medium to high flame.
- Flip and cook on the other side for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Set aside.
For the onion tomato masala
- Heat the ghee in a pan. Add onions and green chillies, and sauté until the onions become translucent.2 teaspoon Ghee, 2 Onions, 4 Green chillies
- Add turmeric powder, red chile powder, tandoori masala, salt, coriander powder, tomato, cilantro and mix well.¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Red chile powder, 1 teaspoon Biryani masala or Tandoori masala, ¾ teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Coriander powder, 3 to 4 Tomatoes, ¼ cup Cilantro
- Cover and cook until the tomato softens. Sprinkle water if desired.
Assemble and steam the biryani
- Lay softened banana leaves.Banana leaves
- Add the cooked chicken to the banana leaves.
- Add the onion and tomato masala.
- Next, add partially cooked rice.
- Add chopped cilantro, sauteed onions and roasted cashews.Cilantro for garnish, 2 tablespoon Roasted cashews
- Tie the banana leaves to form a pouch.
- Steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Seal the parcel tightly with a rubber band or thread so that the steam is wrapped.
- Do not overcook the rice initially.
- Use a steamer, not a pressure cooker.
- To soften the banana leaves, briefly pass them over the flame. This is mainly done to avoid any tearing during the wrapping. Totally optional.
- If available, please add mint leaves along with coriander leaves for a more authentic flavour.
Nutrition
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