Thalassery, Kerala (Malabar coast) · Main meal
Thalassery biryani (chicken)
Also called Thalassery biriyani, Malabar biryani, Malabar chicken biriyani, kaima rice biryani
A Malabar-coast biryani made with short-grain kaima (jeerakasala) rice cooked in ghee and spices, layered with a mildly spiced chicken masala, fried onions, cashews and raisins. It is milder and a little sweeter than most biryanis.
The short answer
Thalassery biryani (chicken) has about 867 kcal in a regular serving (1 plate, about 470 g), with 32 g of protein and 5.6 g of fibre. It rates 2.0/5 (limited fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight, but a regular serving is a large portion and it has little fibre for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 867 kcal
- 1 plate (about 470 g)
- For weight management
- 2.0 / 5Rated 2 out of 5. Limited fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 32 g · 5.6 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 2 hr 45 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in thalassery biryani (chicken)?
Raw weights for one serving (1 plate, about 470 g), from the standard recipe
- Kaima (jeerakasala) rice, 104 g
- Ghee, 13 g
- Ghee for the rice, 5 g
- Ghee for layering, 4 g
- Cashew nuts, 10 g
- Raisins, 5 g
- Onion, fried, 19 g
- Onion, 19 g
- Ginger, 4 g
- Garlic, 4 g
- Green chillies, 2 g
- Chicken, 104 g
- Tomato, 25 g
- Curd, 8 g
- Mint leaves, 2 g
- Coriander leaves, 2 g
How is thalassery biryani (chicken) made?
Preparation 15 min · Cooking 45 min
- 1Grind the whole spices for the masala into a fine powder.
- 2Fry the cashews, raisins and some sliced onions in ghee until golden and set them aside.
- 3In the same ghee, cook more onion with ginger, garlic and chilli paste, then add the chicken, turmeric and masala powder and cook covered.
- 4Add tomatoes, salt and a little curd and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and the masala is thick; stir in mint and coriander.
- 5Fry the whole spices in ghee, add the rice and hot water, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is almost done.
- 6Layer rice, chicken masala, fried onions, nuts and herbs in the pot, seal it and cook on a hot tawa for 12 to 15 minutes.
Thalassery biryani (chicken) nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 plate, about 470 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 867 kcal | 184 kcal |
| Protein | 32 g | 6.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 93.5 g | 19.9 g |
| Fat | 40 g | 8.5 g |
| Fibre | 5.6 g | 1.2 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Thalassery biryani (Malabar biriyani), serves 3) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (1698 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Swasthi's Recipes, Thalassery biryani (Malabar biriyani) 566 g, Archana's Kitchen, Thalassery Chicken Biriyani 404 g and Smita Singh (Kali Mirch by Smita), Thalassery Chicken Biryani 441 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is thalassery biryani (chicken) good for weight management?
It rates 2.0/5, a limited fit, because it is low in calories for its weight, but a regular serving is a large portion and it has little fibre for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)1.84 kcal · 63/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)3.7 g · 37/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.7 g · 22/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)867 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 0/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have thalassery biryani (chicken)
- Take a half plate and add a big serving of cucumber raita or salad
- Ask for fewer cashews, raisins and fried onions on top
- Fill up on the chicken pieces rather than the ghee rice
- At home, use half the ghee; kaima rice still cooks well with less
- Skip a second sweet or fried side at the same meal
Common questions about thalassery biryani (chicken)
How many calories are in thalassery biryani (chicken)?
About 867 kcal in 1 plate, about 470 g, or 184 kcal per 100 g. A half plate has about 433 kcal.
Is thalassery biryani (chicken) good for weight management?
It rates 2.0/5, a limited fit: it is low in calories for its weight, but a regular serving is a large portion and it has little fibre for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in thalassery biryani (chicken)?
About 32 g in 1 plate, about 470 g, which is 3.7 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in thalassery biryani (chicken)?
About 2 hr 45 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
How is Thalassery biryani different from Hyderabadi biryani?
It uses short-grain kaima rice instead of basmati, little chilli, and fried cashews and raisins. The calories per plate are in a similar range.
Is kaima rice healthier than basmati?
Both are polished white rice with similar calories; the ghee and the size of the plate make the bigger difference.
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Compare it in:BiryaniChicken dishesMalabar dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.