Leftovers Biryani

February 10, 2026

Unfussy biryani made from leftover salan, on the stove top or the Instant Pot. Use any shorba or qorma wala salan that has a tomato onion masala base. See Notes section for a “salan” hack if you don’t have any on hand.

Credits

Recipe adapted from Mirchi Tales.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
500g	rice, basmati
1 tsp	salt
as needed / 675g	water (stove top vs instant pot)
28g / 2 T	oil
1	onion, medium, sliced thin
1	potato, gold, large, chopped
1	tomato, medium, chopped
2 cups	leftover salan
~2-3 T	Shan Special Bombay Biryani masala
2 T	yogurt
1	jalapeño, sliced
¼ cup	cilantro, fresh, chopped
2 T	mint, fresh, finely chopped

process

Stove top

The stove top version is unfussy from using leftover salan and also from only making 1 layer, in a wide, shallow paella pan (if you have one). If you don’t have such a pan, use whatever pot you have, and you can do multiple layers if you want.

wash rice thoroughly 4-5 times, and set to boil with 1 tsp salt in medium sized pot; cook until 80-90% done
heat a large, wide paella pan, add oil until shimmering, add onions to brown along with the potatoes
add tomatoes and cook until they start to break down
add half the jalapeño and all the Shan masala, sauté a few minutes to infuse oil with flavor and mix thoroughly
add salan, mix thoroughly
add yogurt; mix
cook gravy down until mostly “dry” and oil starts to separate, reduce heat to minimal
- gravy should taste a little too salty and overspiced at this stage
spread gravy out in an even layer
strain rice (should be about 85% done, but it’s not that deep), spread evenly on top of the gravy in a single layer
sprinkle cilantro, mint, and the rest of the jalapeño on top; cover with a tight-fitting lid, set to steam for ~15 minutes at lowest heat setting
fluff up and serve

Instant Pot

The instant pot version is even more unfussy, because there’s no layering whatsoever, it’s all cooked together, pulao style, and made in just one pot. No futzing about with getting the rice to 85% done, etc. Down side is that the rice will all be one color, not variegated like when it’s layered.

mode: sauté
temp: medium

wash rice thoroughly 4-5 times, set aside to soak for 30-60 minutes
when IP is hot, add oil, onions, salt; cook until onions start to brown
add tomatoes, potatoes, half the jalapeños, cook until they start to break down
add Shan masala, mix thoroughly and cook for 1-2 minutes
add salan, mix and cook down
add yogurt; mix
cook gravy down until mostly “dry” and oil starts to separate; turn off sauté mode
drain rice and add to instant pot, along with 675g water
- use your judgement; if your gravy is a bit wet (maybe you had to periodically deglaze with water), use slightly less water
sprinkle cilantro, mint, and remainder of the jalapeño on top, close the lid

pressure: high
time: 4 minutes
release: 5 minute natural release

open lid and fluff rice;
- if it looks a little wet, leave the lid off and let the rice air out after fluffing, periodically fluff again so the rice on the bottom has a chance to air out as well

notes

The Sukhi’s brand chicken curries from Costco make a great base here; mango coconut curry flavor works better than the tikka masala, as it’s more mildly spiced. One pouch is enough for this recipe (the Costco pack contains 2 pouches).
Any tomato-based salan will probably work; I’ve even made leftover biryani from an Italian chicken dish I’d made, so don’t be shy to experiment. The biryani masala is quite strong and will overpower most existing flavors.
can be made vegetarian easily
can also add goodies like dried plums when making the gravy

Biryani Masalay

There are other biryani mixes available, even from the same brand, and I’ve used several when making this recipe—but none of them give the perfect biryani flavor that I get from the Shan Special Bombay Biryani mix, so I stick with it.

If you have others on hand, use them at your own risk. Here are some of my notes below:

Shan regular biryani mix is…fine, but nothing really to write home about, it’s missing whatever gives the Special Bombay Biryani its chatpata zing
National brand is ok but heavier on the laal mirch, so use a more sparing hand
Lazizah was basically all mirch, so use a very light hand; also, very few other notes could be detected; do not recommend

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ comfort food ○ desi ○ freezer friendly ○ meat ○ pakistani ○ photo ○ rice ○ vegetarian

Biryani Pasta (Instant Pot)

February 9, 2026

This version contains the measurements and ingredients necessary to make biryani pasta in a 6qt or larger instant pot. These measurements (especially timing and water amounts) will not work for the stove top, although using common sense, you could easily adapt the recipe for stove top cooking.

Recipe tested in a 6qt standard and 7qt Rio Wide Instant Pot.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
1 lb / 500g	dry pasta
1 lb / 500g	chicken breast, raw, thin sliced^* (optional)
~1-2 T	olive oil
1	onion, medium, sliced
~2 T	Shan Special Bombay Biryani masala
~24oz	tomato sauce
36oz	water
to taste	salt; use more if using chicken
to taste	cheese, shredded
to taste	cilantro, chopped

^*see notes for how to add chicken

Process

mode: sauté
heat: medium

when IP is heated up on sauté mode, add olive oil and wait for it to heat up
add sliced onions and sauté until transluscent; no need to brown
add Shan masala and toast in oil for ~1-2 minutes, making sure there are no dry bits of masala and also that the masala doesn’t burn
if using raw chicken, add it now and mix well
add tomato or marinara sauce and mix well
IMPORTANT: pasta is not eaten like biryani, where the whole spices are expected to be picked out, so after the flavors of the spices have infused the tomato sauce mixture well, fish out as many of the whole spices as you can find.
- at this stage, mixture should taste over-spiced and salted
- add salt or more Shan masala conservatively, per taste; remember there’s salt in the Shan mix, too
add pasta
- if using spaghetti or other long shapes, break in half and layer in criss-cross pattern to fit in 6qt pot
add water; scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking that will burn later

pressure: high
time: 8 minutes
release: manual

once pressure drops, open lid and add cheese and cilantro, stir to melt and combine
- can also add cheese individually in plates when serving

Notes

any pasta shape will work, I’ve used spaghetti, farfalle, rotini, penne, etc.
there are other biryani mixes available, even from the same brand, but I don’t find the perfect biryani flavor in any of them but the one I linked, so use others at your own risk (some are much heavier on the spice or salt, some lack the proper floral notes, etc.)
if using cooked chicken, shred and add it at the end, along with the cheese in step 9 to avoid overcooking
suggest experimenting with a lower cook time and longer natural release to leverage passive cooking…something like 3 minutes high pressure, 5 minutes natural release (untested)

cheeses

Any melting cheese will work well here. I have used/tried and enjoyed:

mozzarella, shredded
provolone
pepperjack
jalapeno havarti slices
shredded pizza cheese blend

You can also sandwich a slice of cheese between layers of portioned pasta (the cheese pull in the picture is from a slice of provolone layered between pasta in the bowl)

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ desi ○ freezer friendly ○ fusion ○ italian ○ meat ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ photo

Lemon Parmesan Chicken Bites

May 2, 2025

Ingredients

All amounts are arbitrary and to-taste. Sorry.

For the Marinade

amount	ingredient
2 lbs	chicken breast, cubed
—	lemon juice, fresh
—	black pepper
—	taco seasoning
—	chili powder^* ^**
—	garlic powder
—	salt
a lot	Parmigiano-Reggiano, blended or shredded
1-2 T	oil (optional)

^*a smokey blend of spices (Mexican), NOT a single-pepper powder like cayenne
** see notes

For the Sauce

amount	ingredient
6 T // ¾ stick	butter, salted
1 tsp – 1 T	garlic, fresh, crushed into paste or minced (optional)
—	Parmigiano-Reggiano, blended or shredded
~½ cup	cilantro, fresh, chopped
1	lime, fresh, juice of^*
—	hot sauce
—	honey

^*or lemon should be fine, too

Process

add lemon juice to chicken and mix until well-coated
add remaining ingredients for marinade and mix until chicken is evenly coated
marinate in fridge for ~2-3 hours

Preheat oven: 425º F
Bake: 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken

in a small pot, heat butter and garlic (if using) gently on low heat until garlic loses its sharpness and butter is infused
take off the heat and add remaining ingredients for sauce; set aside
when chicken is done cooking, take out and brush with sauce

Notes

for the chili powder, use whatever you have on hand; I didn’t have it and subbed with a burger seasoning; it’s chill, get creative or just leave it out
I didn’t use oil in the marinade and chicken still came out juicy and tender (see photo); might get more browning if you use it
if you don’t have a brush for applying the sauce, just spoon it over or dunk the pieces to coat

Suggested uses

eat as-is
on a salad (you can try adding more lemon juice and maybe balsamic to the sauce leftovers for a quick dressing)
over rice (use the sauce more liberally)
in a sandwich or wrap
with pasta in a white sauce

Mains // Oven // Recipe

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ italian ○ marinade ○ meat ○ photo

Asian Chicken Marinade

April 26, 2025
Credits

Recipe adapted from RecipeTinEats.

Ingredients

amount ingredient
3 lbs chicken breast
2 T ginger garlic paste
3 T soy sauce
2 T ketchup
1 T orange chicken sauce^*
3 T Sriracha
1 tsp oil^*
^* see notes

Process
1. thin the chicken breasts either by pounding with a meat mallet or slicing; your butcher may also be able to do it for you when buying
2. mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl (or zip top bag) and add chicken, mix until the chicken is completely coated
3. if using a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is actually touching the chicken so it doesn’t dry out; if using zip top bag, push excess air out and seal
4. let chicken marinate in fridge for ~1 hour and up to overnight
Cooking the chicken

Stovetop
1. set dry pan over medium heat; once hot, add a thin layer of oil
2. gently lay chicken into the oiled pan in a single layer; do not flip chicken until a nice crust forms on the first side down
  - do not overlap chicken
  - do not overcrowd pan; you will have to do multiple batches
3. flip when chicken releases easily from the pan and the first side is mostly cooked through, shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes, and may take less
4. cook the other side for a few minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken is no longer pink
5. remove from pan and place in serving plate; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm as you cook the rest of the chicken
bake in the oven
```
preheat oven: 450º F
```
1. line baking pans or sheet with aluminum foil and place chicken breasts on it in a single layer
  - do not overlap chicken
  - make sure to shake off excess marinade so chicken isn’t “wet” going into the oven
2. Bake chicken in oven for ~8-15 minutes; check at the earlier time so as not to overcook; assess done-ness by slicing into the thickest part to make sure it’s cooked through
Because this is a wet marinade, the chicken will kind of steam in the oven a bit. Still delicious, but you don’t get much of a maillard reaction. You could try broiling it instead, but I haven’t tried this and am not sure how well it would cook the chicken all the way through (probably be fine though).

The major benefit of baking vs other methods is its pretty hands off, despite the large amount of chicken, so you’re not tied to the stove. It’s also less messy, with easier clean up since there’s no oil splatters or smoke.

grill
1. fire up the grill and heat to medium
2. oil the grates and place chicken breasts over indirect heat, cook until one side is mostly cooked through and gets nice grill marks
3. flip and cook the other side just until cooked through
Sous vide
1. preheat sous vide bath to 150-155º F (or whatever your preference for chicken breast))
2. shake off excess marinade from chicken and place in a silicone or zip top bag in a single layer
3. submerge in bath for ~1 hour
Notes
- orange chicken sauce: I just pulled whatever “Asian” sauce was in the fridge…if I was in my own kitchen, I would probably use oyster, fish, or hoisin sauce; maybe a combination
  - don’t think too hard about this one and use whatever you have on hand
- sesame oil is best, but I only had olive oil on hand so that’s what I ended up using
- chicken breast is easy to overcook, especially when thin-sliced, so keep a close eye on cook times (sous vide is the most forgiving)
  - err on the side of less cook time
  - you can remove chicken from the heat just when cooked and cover with foil so that the carry-over heat will gently finish it perfectly
Freezing tips

The marinade itself can be frozen in ice cubes, or you can freeze the chicken after covering it in the marinade. This is especially useful if you’ll be sous viding it afterwards, since you can take it from the freezer directly into the water bath.

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Suggested uses
- on salads (especially with an Asian sauce like a Thai peanut dressing and fried noodle croutons)
- in sandwiches
- on pastas and noodle bowls
- eat it alone for a great, protein-rich snack
- shred it in tacos or burritos
Grill // Mains // Oven // Recipe // Sous Vide // Stovetop

asian ○ chicken ○ freezer friendly ○ marinade ○ meat

amount	ingredient
3 lbs	chicken breast
2 T	ginger garlic paste
3 T	soy sauce
2 T	ketchup
1 T	orange chicken sauce^*
3 T	Sriracha
1 tsp	oil^*

Chicken Pakoray

September 21, 2024

Credits

Recipe adapted from Flavour of Desi Food and Kun Foods.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
500g	chicken breast, bite-sized pieces
1 T	lemon juice
1½ tsp	cayenne pepper
1½ tsp	chaat masala
1 tsp	cumin seeds
1 tsp	coriander seeds
1 tsp	salt
½ tsp	black pepper
2 T	cilantro, chopped
1 tsp	ginger garlic paste
½ tsp	green chilies
as needed	yogurt
as needed	gram flour (besan)
as needed	oil for frying

Process

First, prep the ingredients which require it. I like to go in such an order that the meat is last so I’m not stuck chopping veggies on a nasty board or having to wash in between.

crush cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar & pestle
- you can use a mini food processor, spice grinder, or a small, sturdy glass and the hilt of your knife (carefully)…use whatever you have on hand
- no need to crush to a fine powder; some texture is good
chop cilantro
mince chilies or blitz in a processor (it’s handy to have this already in the freezer)
cut chicken into bite-sized pieces

Add all the ingredients except the besan to the chicken and mix thoroughly so that all the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for ~1 hour.

Remove chicken from fridge and add enough gram flour (besan) to the mix to make a thin coating on the chicken. You don’t want it too thick either in consistency or coating. Adjust yogurt and besan amounts to achieve this result. You can thin the mixture with the liquidy parts of the yogurt, milk, or water.

Fry a couple pakoray and taste for seasoning; if all is good, fry the rest of the chicken in batches.

Notes

don’t be scared of the spices but also, if you don’t have a couple, you can leave them out
marination time is an ideal, not a requirement
use water to wet the batter instead of yogurt if you don’t have it; traditional pakoray batter is made with water, the yogurt just helps to tenderize the meat

Mains // Recipe // Stovetop

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ desi ○ meat ○ pakistani ○ photo

Spicy Southwest Chicken Soup

May 17, 2024

This is a more “from-scratch” and meat-inclusive version of my quicker, spicy southwest veggie soup.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
50g	black beans, dry
50g	white beans, dry
100g	kidney beans, dry
1 lb	chicken breast
24g	oil
160g	onion, diced
150g	bell pepper, diced
28 oz	tomatoes, diced
28 oz	water
15g	Better Than Bouillon
12 oz	corn, frozen
1 oz	jalapenos
2 T	cumin
1 T	chili powder
1 tsp	salt
to taste	black pepper
½ tsp	garlic powder
½ tsp	MSG
¼-½ cup	cilantro, chopped, fresh or frozen
1	lime, fresh, juice of (optional)

Process

Instant Pot

add all dried beans to Instant Pot and cover with ~1″ of water

pressure: high
time: 15 minutes
release: 10 minute natural

drain beans, set aside

sauté: high

add oil and chicken, sear until chicken is no longer pink; set aside
add onions and bell peppers, cook until translucent
add all other ingredients, including chicken, to pressure cooker

pressure: high
time: 4 minutes
release: 15 minute natural

remove chicken breast and set aside to cool enough to handle
blend soup sporadically with immersion blender until desired consistency reached (optional)
dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, or shred and return to pot
add cilantro and fresh lime juice, mix well and serve immediately

Stovetop

I’ve never bothered to make beans on the stovetop and wouldn’t recommend it to others. If you already have beans (canned, frozen, or just extra lying around, proceed with the below. Otherwise, just submerge dry beans in water and cook them forever.

in heavy-bottom pot, add oil and sear chicken until no longer pink; set aside
add onions and bell peppers, cook until translucent
add the rest of the ingredients, including chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through and all other components have meshed together
remove chicken and allow to cool enough to handle
blend soup sporadically with immersion blender until desired consistency reached (optional)
dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, or shred, and return to pot
add cilantro and fresh lime juice, mix well and serve immediately

Notes

This soup goes great with:

a dollop of sour cream
corn tortilla strips, chips, or broken up tostada/tortilla shells
shredded cheese of choice
avocado
fresh jalapeno coins
a dash of hot sauce
crusty bread

Picture shows soup made with 3-4 T of heavy cream, and 2 cans of tomato sauce instead of the diced tomatoes, since that’s what I had on hand. I had already copied my before small and uniform, and with no large tomato chunks, I didn’t bother to blend. Extra lime juice and pepper jack cheese added to serve.

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Recipe // Soup // Stovetop

american ○ better than takeout ○ chicken ○ comfort food ○ freezer friendly ○ fusion ○ meat ○ mexican ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo

Quick Moroccan Chicken

January 25, 2024

Credits

Recipe adapted from G-Free Foodie.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
1½ lb	chicken breast^*
4	dried figs, halved and destemmed
4 oz	tomato sauce // marinara sauce
¼ cup	onions, chopped
1 tsp	garlic, minced
2 T	apple juice
1 T	olive oil
1	bay leaf
½ tsp	thyme, dried
¼ tsp	salt
¼ tsp	black pepper
to taste	harissa paste // hot sauce (optional)

^*frozen is fine!

Process

place all ingredients in Instant Pot

pressure: low
time: 10 minutes
release: 10-15 minutes natural release

Notes

I used frozen, thin chicken breast directly, without thawing first
It made a fair amount of soupy sauce, which I used to make couscous
- to do this, replace ½ the water used for the couscous with the sauce / liquid from this recipe
pictured below: recipe paired with couscous, hummus, and pickled onions.

Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

african ○ chicken ○ dump and go ○ meat ○ moroccan ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick

Chicken Tender Wrap

January 14, 2024

Frozen, breaded chicken tenders and flour tortillas turn into spicy chicken wraps with bold flavor and a pop of bright citrus.

ingredients

amount	ingredient
1	flour tortilla, large, warmed
1 slice	cheese, American (optional)
1 – 2	chicken tenders, spicy
to taste	mayonnaise
to taste	hot sauce
to taste	onions & jalapeños, pickled
to taste	cilantro, fresh, chopped
to taste	lettuce greens

assembly

heat tortilla according to preference (see notes below)
if using cheese, lay cheese on top of hot tortilla and add hot chicken tender on top so the cheese melts easily
layer the rest of the ingredients on top, ending with the lettuce so that you can more easily hold things down to roll without getting your hands dirty
roll up tortilla; it’s not necessary for complete overlap if you’re careful with holding it properly while eating

notes

naturally, all amounts are to-taste so do and use whatever you like
tortilla can be heated any way you prefer:
- stovetop: on a griddle, tawa, comal, or dry frying pan, turning to get nice brown spots and taking it off the heat once desired doneness is reached; do not heat too long or it will become crunchy and not foldable
- microwave: lay tortilla on microwave -safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel, heat until just warmed through; this will yield a soft, pliable tortilla that’s not crunchy at all
- airfryer / toaster oven / oven: heat for a few minutes until warmed through; avoid getting brown spots as it will turn into a giant tortilla chip pretty quickly, especially in a toaster oven or air fryer which works faster than a standard oven
any chicken tender will work, I use a spicy breaded variety and pop it in the airfryer for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through
I use Frank’s hot sauce and find the simplicity of it plays nicely with both the mayo and pickles
for the greens, use whatever you have on hand: iceberg, spring mix, spinach, arugula, celery tops, romaine, etc.

Airfryer // Mains // Meal Ideas // Microwave // Oven // Stovetop

american ○ better than takeout ○ chicken ○ frozen foods ○ fusion ○ meat ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ sandwich

Chicken Salan

April 12, 2022

Credits

Recipe adapted from Tea for Turmeric.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredients
1½ lb	chicken breast, raw, cubed
50g	oil
160g	onion, chopped
1½ tsp	salt
150g	tomatoes, chopped
1	serrano pepper, slit
1 T	garlic, minced
1½ tsp	ginger, minced
6	black peppercorns, whole
3	cloves
1 tsp	cumin seeds
½ tsp	cayenne pepper
½ tsp	turmeric
¼ tsp	coriander powder
¼ tsp	cumin powder
1½ cup	water
½ tsp	coriander seeds
½ cup	cilantro, chopped

Process

Sauté onions, salt in oil until lightly golden; deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water, if necessary
Add tomatoes, serrano, ginger, garlic; sauté for a few minutes
Add chicken; sauté until color changes and chicken is no longer pink on the outside, about 5 minutes
Add all the spices except coriander seeds; sauté for 2 minutes
Add water

Pressure: High
Time: 7 minutes
Release: natural for 5 minutes

Taste for salt, add coriander seeds, chopped fresh cilantro; serve

Nutrition

Total Recipe: 1,330 calories
Per 100g: 119 calories

Notes

After making the masala base (just before adding the chicken), you can stick blend the mixture to make a smooth consistency.
In lieu of the above, you can also chop up the onions and tomatoes in a food processor before they go in the pot. I don’t bother with either of these.

Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

calories calculated ○ chicken ○ desi ○ meat ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ photo

Burrito Bowl

December 11, 2021
Ingredients

Amount Ingredients
196g Simple Rice & Potatoes
76g salsa
30g cheese, shredded, Mexican-style
110g Mexican chicken
50g sour cream
4 leaves lettuce, torn

Assembly
1. Top rice with salsa, sprinkle a little water over it and heat in microwave for ~2 minutes or until piping hot
2. Add cheese and heat for 30 seconds, removing halfway through to stir and insure even melting
3. Add chicken on half of the hot rice mix and cover with the other half (to heat through)
4. Add sour cream and lettuce
Nutrition

Calories: 688

Notes

Microwaved chicken has a bad smell and worse taste. Covering the chicken with the hot rice helps mitigate that. You can also heat the chicken, rice, and salsa in a dry pan on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, then fold in the cheese.
Leftovers // Mains // Meal Ideas

calories calculated ○ chicken ○ meat ○ mexican ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ rice

Amount	Ingredients
196g	Simple Rice & Potatoes
76g	salsa
30g	cheese, shredded, Mexican-style
110g	Mexican chicken
50g	sour cream
4 leaves	lettuce, torn

Credits

Ingredients

process

Stove top

Instant Pot

notes

Biryani Masalay

Ingredients

Process

Notes

cheeses

Ingredients

For the Marinade

For the Sauce

Process

Notes

Suggested uses

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Cooking the chicken

Stovetop

bake in the oven

grill

Sous vide

Notes

Freezing tips

Suggested uses

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Notes

Ingredients

Process

Instant Pot

Stovetop

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Notes

ingredients

assembly

notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Nutrition

Notes

Ingredients

Assembly

Nutrition

Notes