Chicken Biryani – Indian Style
Summary
- This recipe guides you through making a flavorful Chicken Biryani, a classic Indian dish. It involves preparing a rich chicken curry and perfectly cooked basmati rice, which are then layered and slow-cooked to infuse all the aromatic spices.
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All Ingredients - For Chicken Curry
- Oil 4 tbsp
- Shah Jeera 3/4 tsp
- Cloves 4
- Cinnamon sticks 3
- Green Cardamom 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 3 medium
- 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
- Green Cardamom 4
- Ghee 1 tbsp
- Salt 2.5 tbsp
- Basmati Rice (soaked for 30 mins) 750 gms
All Ingredients - For Layering and Dum
- Ghee (for greasing pan) 1 tbsp
- Ghee (for drizzling) 2 tbsp
- Saffron Milk 1/2 cup
- Fried Onions 3 tbsp
Tools You'll Need
- Pan
- Pot
Plan Ahead
Up to 30 min of hands-off time you can shift to earlier.
- Step 8 · Soak30 min
Cook the Rice Add 750 gms of basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes) to the boiling water. Cook on high heat for 6 minutes…
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: Prepare the Chicken Curry Base
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add 3/4 teaspoon of shah jeera, 4 cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, and 4 green cardamoms. Give it a quick mix.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken
Add 1 kg of large chicken pieces with bones to the pan. Fry the chicken for on high heat until it starts to turn opaque.
Step 3: Add Aromatics and Spices
Add 2 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste and 3-4 finely chopped green chillies. Fry for another on high heat, stirring continuously, until the chicken is well coated and turns whitish.
Step 4: Cook with Spices
heat to medium and cook for , stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of red chilli powder, 5 teaspoons of readymade biryani masala, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and cook for on medium heat until the chicken is well coated with the spices and the oil starts to separate.
Step 5: Simmer Chicken with Yogurt
the heat to low and cook for . Switch off the heat. Add 3 medium crushed fried onions and 150 ml of curd/yogurt. Mix thoroughly. Switch the heat back on to low and cook for until the curry starts to and thicken.
Step 6: Finish Chicken Curry
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for . After , add 2-3 tablespoons of chopped coriander and mix well. Switch off the heat and keep the chicken curry covered.
Step 7: Prepare the Basmati Rice
In a separate large pot, boil 2.5 litres of water. Add 1 teaspoon of shahjeera (caraway seeds), 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 green cardamoms, 1 tablespoon of ghee, and 2.5 tablespoons of salt. Stir to combine.
Step 8: Cook the Rice
Add 750 gms of basmati rice (soaked for ) to the boiling water. Cook on high heat for until the rice is about 70-80% cooked. Switch off the heat and drain the rice immediately.
Step 9: Layer the Biryani
Grease the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed pot with 1 tablespoon of ghee. Spread half of the cooked basmati rice evenly at the bottom. Layer all the cooked chicken curry over the rice. Top with the remaining half of the cooked rice.
Step 10: Add Final Toppings and Dum Cook
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ghee over the top layer of rice. Pour 1/2 cup of saffron milk evenly over the rice. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of fried onions on top. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil, then place the lid on top. Cook on low heat for for the 'dum' cooking method.
Step 11: Serve the Biryani
After , remove the lid and foil. Gently mix the biryani from bottom to top to combine the chicken curry with the rice. Serve hot.
Your Notes
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