Chicken Biryani – Classic Indian Style
Recipe Summary
- This video demonstrates how to prepare a delicious and aromatic Chicken Biryani, a popular Indian rice dish. It involves cooking chicken in a rich, spicy masala and then layering it with fragrant basmati rice, saffron milk, and fried onions, finally slow-cooking it to perfection.
All Ingredients - For Chicken Masala
- Oil 4 tbsp
- Shah jeera (caraway seeds) 3/4 tsp
- Cloves 4
- Cinnamon sticks 3
- Cardamom pods 4
- Chicken (large pieces with bones) 1 kg
- Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
- Green chillies (finely chopped) 3-4
- Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
- Red chilli powder 2 tsp
- Biryani masala (readymade) 5 tsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Crushed fried onions (from 3 medium onions) 3 nos.
- Whisked curd/yogurt 150 ml
- Chopped coriander 2-3 tbsp
All Ingredients - For Rice
- Water 2.5 litres
- Shahjeera (caraway seeds) 1 tsp
- Cloves 4
- Cinnamon sticks 2
- Cardamom pods 4
- Ghee 1 tbsp
- Salt 2.5 tbsp
- Basmati rice (soaked for 30 mins) 750 gms
All Ingredients - For Layering & Dum
- Ghee 1 tbsp
- Ghee 2 tbsp
- Saffron milk 1/2 cup
- Fried onions 3 tbsp
Tools You'll Need
- Pan
- Pot
- Colander
- Bowl
Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps
No Garlic (fresh)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)
No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Yogurt?
- Sour cream (1:1)
- Buttermilk (1:1, slightly thinner result)
No Ghee?
- Unsalted butter (1:1)
- Neutral oil (1:1, lacks the toasted note)
No Milk?
- Unsweetened almond / soy / oat milk (1:1)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water (per 1 cup)
No Saffron?
- 1/4 tsp turmeric (color only, no flavor match)
- 1/2 tsp safflower threads
⚠ Contains Allergens
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sauté Whole Spices
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add 3/4 teaspoon of shah jeera, 4 cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, and 4 cardamom pods. Give them a quick mix and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
Step 2: Brown the Chicken
Add 1 kg of large chicken pieces with bones to the pan. Fry the chicken on high heat for , stirring occasionally, until it starts to change color.
Step 3: Add Aromatics
Add 2 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste and 3-4 finely chopped green chillies to the chicken. Continue to fry on high heat for another , ensuring the aromatics are well combined with the chicken.
Step 4: Cook Chicken on Medium Heat
Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken for , stirring frequently, until it's partially cooked and the ginger garlic paste is fragrant.
Step 5: Add Powdered Spices and Salt
Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of red chilli powder, 5 teaspoons of readymade biryani masala, and 1 teaspoon of salt over the chicken. Mix well and cook on medium heat for , ensuring all chicken pieces are coated with the spices and the oil starts to separate.
Step 6: Simmer Chicken on Low Heat
Reduce the heat to low and cook the chicken for , allowing the spices to meld. Then, switch off the heat.
Step 7: Incorporate Fried Onions and Yogurt
Add crushed fried onions (from 3 medium onions) and 150 ml of whisked curd/yogurt to the chicken. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is evenly coated with the yogurt and onions.
Step 8: Final Chicken Cooking
Switch on the heat to low. Cook the chicken with the yogurt mixture for , stirring gently, until the gravy thickens slightly. Then, cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for .
Step 9: Finish Chicken Masala
After , remove the lid. Add 2-3 tablespoons of chopped coriander and mix it into the chicken masala. Switch off the heat and set the chicken aside.
Step 10: Prepare Rice Water
In a separate large pot, boil 2.5 litres of water. Add 1 teaspoon of shahjeera, 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cardamom pods, 1 tablespoon of ghee, and 2.5 tablespoons of salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Step 11: Cook Basmati Rice
Add 750 gms of basmati rice (which has been soaked for ) to the boiling water. Cook on high heat for until the rice is about 70-80% cooked (al dente).
Step 12: Drain Rice
Switch off the heat and carefully drain the cooked basmati rice using a colander, ensuring all excess water is removed.
Step 13: Layer Biryani - First Rice Layer
Grease a large, heavy-bottomed pan with 1 tablespoon of ghee. Arrange half of the cooked basmati rice evenly at the bottom of the pan.
Step 14: Layer Biryani - Chicken Layer
Carefully spread the entire cooked chicken masala evenly over the first layer of rice.
Step 15: Layer Biryani - Second Rice Layer
Layer the remaining half of the cooked basmati rice over the chicken masala, ensuring it covers the chicken completely.
Step 16: Add Toppings
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ghee over the top rice layer. Pour 1/2 cup of saffron milk evenly over the rice. Garnish with 3 tablespoons of fried onions.
Step 17: Dum Cook Biryani
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, then place the lid on top. Cook on very low heat for , then switch off the heat and let it rest, covered, for an additional (total dum time of ).
Step 18: Serve Biryani
After of dum cooking and resting, open the cover. Gently mix the biryani from bottom to top to combine the chicken masala with the rice. Serve hot in a bowl.
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