START TO FINISH: 45 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
South Asian biryani, a mixture of rice, spices and meat, inspired this aromatic, flavor-packed recipe. We use coconut water to cook the rice; it adds just a touch of richness and a savory-sweet quality that works perfectly with the curry and cardamom. Mango chutney is a great complement for this dish.
Don’t stir too much after adding the rice to the skillet. If allowed to cook undisturbed for a few minutes, the mixture forms a crisp, flavorful crust on the bottom. A wide metal spatula is ideal for scraping up the browned bits.
3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
2½ cups coconut water, divided
4 large shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
½ cup chopped dried cranberries
2 tablespoons lime juice
2½ cups lightly packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
In a medium bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the oil, the ginger, curry powder, cardamom, 2½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to form a paste. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the paste to a large saucepan and set aside. Add the chicken to the bowl with the remaining paste and stir to coat. Marinate at room temperature while you cook the rice.
Stir the rice and 1¾ cups of the coconut water into the paste in the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cover, reduce to low and cook until mostly tender but still slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Push the shallots to the side, then add the chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Stir the shallots into the chicken, add ¼ cup of the remaining coconut water and, using a metal spatula, scrape up any browned bits. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has evaporated, about 20 seconds.
Add the rice, the remaining ½ cup coconut water and the cranberries. Stir, then cook undisturbed over medium-high until the rice begins to crisp and brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add the lime juice. Using the spatula, stir to combine while scraping along the bottom to loosen the crust. Stir in 2 cups of the cilantro, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cilantro.