It’s a celebration on a plate – a spectacular feast of bold, layered flavours. Sticky, spiced chicken wings bathing in a rich, buttery Caribbean broth with coconut milk. Alongside, a fragrant Sri Lankan biryani with marinated chicken thighs and golden potatoes, all topped with a vibrant, charred pineapple sambal.
Prep: less than 30 mins (plus marinating)
Cook: 1 hour 45 mins
Serves: Serves 6–8
Dietary: Egg-free, Nut-free
By Tasha Marikkar & Andi OliverFrom Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Original recipe from BBC Saturday Kitchen Live.
This is a celebratory feast with multiple components. The score reflects the use of ghee, coconut milk, and chicken skin, balanced by the protein from the chicken and fibre from the vegetables and rice.
Per serving (based on 8): approximately 980 kcal, 52g fat, 24g saturated fat, 82g carbohydrates, 18g sugars, 8g fibre, 48g protein.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Caribbean chicken wings & broth
- 3kg chicken wings
- 2 tbsp green seasoning
- 2 tbsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 head garlic, cut in half
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 12 curry leaves
- 15g medium curry powder
- 2 dried chilli de arbol or other dried chillies
- 8 roasted chicken wings, cut in half (from the main batch)
- 10g salt, plus extra
- 1 potato (approx 250g), skin on, scrubbed and chopped
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ tbsp ghee
For the pineapple & coconut sambal
- 300g fresh pineapple, chopped
- 1 red chilli, chopped
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 25g jaggery or dark sugar
- 1 head garlic, roasted
- 80g fresh coconut flesh, chopped
- 1 tsp chilli oil
- 5g fresh coriander, chopped
- 5g salt
- 25ml coconut vinegar
- splash golden rum (optional)
- 1 lime, zest and juice
Customise
- No green seasoning? Blend fresh coriander, parsley, thyme, garlic and scallions.
- Use chicken drumsticks or thighs if wings are unavailable.
- Swap fresh coconut for unsweetened desiccated coconut soaked in hot water.
- Use white wine vinegar or rice vinegar if coconut vinegar is unavailable.
- Chicken breast can be used in the biryani, but may dry out faster than thighs.
For the Sri Lankan chicken biryani
- 12 cloves
- 8 green cardamom pods, bashed
- 10 small garlic cloves
- 30g fresh root ginger, finely chopped
- 3 dried red chillies
- 3 tbsp roasted curry powder
- 1½ tbsp chilli powder
- ½ tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick (5–7g)
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 12 curry leaves
- 1½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 240g Greek-style yoghurt
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1kg chicken thighs, boneless, cut into strips
- 5 tbsp ghee or oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 500g basmati rice, washed
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 600g new potatoes
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp Baduma (fried onions/raisins/nuts – optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Method
This feast works best with a plan. Start the biryani chicken marinating the night before. On the day, roast the wings first, then build the broth while the biryani components cook.
Marinate & Roast the Wings (Start 2+ hours ahead)
- Marinate the chicken wings. In a very large bowl, toss the chicken wings with the green seasoning, turmeric, paprika and curry powder until evenly coated. Cover and set aside. For deeper flavour, do this a few hours ahead or overnight in the fridge.
- Roast the wings. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Spread the marinated wings in a single layer in one or two large roasting tins. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until cooked through and the skin is crisp. Set aside 8 wings for the broth. Keep the rest warm for serving.
Make the Broth & Sambal (About 1 hour 15 minutes)
- Start the broth base. While the wings roast, place the carrots, onion, sweet potato, halved garlic head, peppercorns, cinnamon, coriander seeds, curry leaves, medium curry powder, dried chillies, the 8 reserved roasted wings (cut in half), and 10g salt in a large casserole. Add 1 litre of cold water.
- Simmer the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes. Add the chopped potato and simmer for another 15 minutes until the potato is tender. Stir in the coconut milk, bring back to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Make the pineapple sambal. Heat a dry, heavy-based pan over high heat. Add the chopped pineapple and char for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots. Transfer to a blender. Add the red and green chillies, jaggery, roasted garlic cloves, fresh coconut, chilli oil and coriander. Blend to a coarse paste. Stir in the salt, coconut vinegar, optional rum, and lime zest and juice. Set aside.
- Finish the buttered broth. To serve, ladle 3-4 large portions of the broth (with vegetables and wings) into a wide, deep frying pan. Add the butter and ghee. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until slightly reduced and glossy, coating the wings.
Prepare the Biryani (About 1 hour 30 minutes, plus marinating)
- Marinate the biryani chicken. The night before or at least 1 hour ahead, make the marinade. In a food processor, blend the cloves, cardamom pods, garlic, ginger, dried chillies, roasted curry powder, chilli powder, turmeric, cinnamon stick, red onion, curry leaves, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, yoghurt and salt to a fine paste. In a bowl, coat the chicken thigh strips thoroughly in this paste. Cover and refrigerate.
- Cook the biryani rice. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a large saucepan. Fry the shallot, cumin seeds and mustard seeds for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the washed rice and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Pour in 800ml water. Dissolve the stock cubes in 300ml warm water and add to the pan with the remaining ghee. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook until the water is absorbed (about 12-15 minutes). Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Fry the new potatoes. In a separate frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil or ghee. Fry the new potatoes with the turmeric and salt until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- Cook the marinated chicken. In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until sealed and cooked about halfway through.
- Layer and bake the biryani. Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. In a large baking dish, start layering: first a layer of the partially cooked chicken and its marinade juices, then a layer of fried potatoes, then a 1-1.5cm layer of cooked rice. Repeat to make three layers of each, ending with rice. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake and finish. Bake for 30 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through; if needed, cover and bake 10 minutes more. Remove foil, scatter with Baduma (if using) and fresh coriander.
Serve the Feast
- Bring everything to the table. Serve the buttered broth and wings in deep bowls with the pineapple sambal on the side. Present the fragrant biryani in its baking dish, letting everyone help themselves to the spiced layers of chicken, potato and rice.
What can you serve with this
- Cucumber and mint raita. A cool, yoghurt-based side provides a refreshing contrast to the spiced biryani and rich broth.
- Extra lime wedges and fresh chillies. For those who want to adjust the heat and acidity to their taste.
- Flatbreads or roti. Perfect for scooping up the biryani and mopping up the last of the buttery broth.
- A simple green salad. A few leaves of crisp lettuce or cucumber slices offer a clean, fresh palate cleanser between the rich dishes.
FAQs for Caribbean Chicken Broth & Sri Lankan Biryani Feast
- What is green seasoning? Green seasoning is a Caribbean herb paste typically made from fresh herbs like coriander, thyme, parsley, garlic, and scallions blended with oil and vinegar. It’s a versatile marinade base.
- Can I make this feast in stages? Absolutely. Marinate the biryani chicken overnight. Roast the wings and make the broth a day ahead, reheating before finishing with butter and ghee. The sambal can be made a few hours ahead.
- What is Baduma? Baduma is a Sri Lankan garnish of fried onions, raisins, and cashews, often sprinkled over biryani for added texture and sweetness.
- My biryani rice is sticky. What went wrong? The rice may have been overcooked before layering, or too much liquid was used. Ensure you only cook the rice until just tender and the water is absorbed, and fluff it well before layering.
- Can I use chicken breasts for the biryani? You can, but chicken thighs are more forgiving and stay juicier during the long marinating and baking process. If using breast, reduce the initial cooking time in the pan to 5-6 minutes.
- How do I store leftovers? Store the broth, wings, biryani and sambal separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the broth and biryani gently until piping hot.
- What can I use instead of fresh coconut in the sambal? Unsweetened desiccated coconut soaked in a little hot water for 10 minutes until softened works as a good substitute.
- Is this dish very spicy? The heat level is adaptable. Control the chilli powder in the biryani marinade and remove the seeds from the fresh chillies in the sambal for a milder result.
Nutri-score Health Check
This celebratory meal scores a D on the Nutri-Score scale. It is a substantial, multi-component feast.
Positive Factors: The dish provides high-quality protein from the chicken, and fibre from the vegetables, rice and potatoes. The use of herbs, spices and fresh ingredients adds beneficial plant compounds.
Negative Factors: The score is lowered by the high content of saturated fat from the coconut milk, ghee, butter and chicken skin, as well as the significant salt content from stock cubes and seasonings.
Remember, this score is automatically calculated from the ingredients in the recipe and is only a guide. Ideal for a special occasion.