This recipe guides you through making a flavorful South Indian style Chicken Biryani. It involves marinating chicken with a vibrant green paste and spices, cooking it partially, and then layering it with partially cooked rice for a final dum cooking process, resulting in a fragrant and delicious biryani.
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All Ingredients - For Rice
Basmati Rice2 cups
Salt1 tsp
Cumin Seeds1 tsp
Cardamom Pods3-4
Kewra Water2 tsp
All Ingredients - For Green Paste
Green Chillies3-4
Coriander Leaves1/2 cup
Mint Leaves1/4 cup
All Ingredients - For Chicken Marinade
Chicken (boneless, cubed)750 g
Salt1.5 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste1 tbsp
Curd1/2 cup
Fried Onion1/2 cup
Curry Leaves1 sprig
Chilli Powder1 tsp
Garam Masala1 tsp
Green Pasteall of the prepared paste
All Ingredients - Other Ingredients
Cooking Oil3-4 tbsp
Red Food Coloura pinch
Yellow Food Coloura pinch
🍳Tools You'll Need
Pot
Mixing bowl
Colander
🔥Spice level: Fiery🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️For chiliheads only — taste before serving.
From:Green chiliGingerChili powderGaram masala
🔄Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps6 tips
No Cilantro?
Flat-leaf parsley (1:1, milder)
Fresh mint (in chutneys, salads)
No Garlic (fresh)?
1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)
No Yogurt?
Sour cream (1:1)
Buttermilk (1:1, slightly thinner result)
No Onion?
1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
3 tbsp dried minced onion
Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Curry leaves?
1 bay leaf + a pinch of lemon zest — Aroma only — flavor is unique.
Wash 2 cups of Basmati rice thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Then, soak the washed rice in water for .
Step 2: Prepare Green Paste
In a grinder, combine 3-4 green chillies, 1/2 cup of coriander leaves, and 1/4 cup of mint leaves. Grind them into a smooth paste.
Step 3: Marinate Chicken
In a large bowl, add 750g of cubed chicken. Add 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 cup curd, 1/2 cup fried onion, 1 sprig of curry leaves, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, and the entire green paste prepared in the previous step. Mix all ingredients thoroughly to coat the chicken evenly. Let it for at least .
Step 4: Cook Chicken Curry
Heat 3-4 tbsp of cooking oil in a large pot. Add the chicken to the hot oil. Cover the pot with a lid and cook until the chicken is 80% cooked through.
Step 5: Prepare Water for Rice
In a separate pot, boil water. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin seeds, and 3-4 cardamom pods to the boiling water. Cover and let it infuse.
Step 6: Remove Excess Oil from Curry
Once the chicken curry is 80% cooked, carefully remove any extra oil floating on top from the curry and set it aside in a small bowl. This oil will be used for layering the biryani.
Step 7: Cook Rice Partially
Add the soaked rice (from Step 1) to the boiling water prepared in Step 5. Cook the rice until it is 70% done. It should still be firm but not raw.
Step 8: Drain Rice
Once the rice is 70% cooked, drain it immediately using a colander and keep it aside.
Step 9: Layer for Dum Cooking (First Layer)
In the same pot where the chicken curry was cooked, ensure the chicken curry is spread evenly at the bottom. Add a few green chillies and some fresh mint leaves over the chicken curry.
Step 10: Layer for Dum Cooking (Second Layer)
Carefully add a layer of the 70% cooked and drained rice on top of the chicken curry and mint leaves.
Step 11: Add Flavor and Color
Drizzle the reserved extra oil (from Step 6) over the rice layer. Add more fresh mint leaves. Sprinkle a pinch of yellow food colour and a pinch of red food colour over different spots of the rice. Finally, add 2 tsp of kewra water.
Step 12: Dum Cook Biryani
Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil, ensuring no can escape. Then, place the lid on top. Cook the biryani on a low flame for to allow it to cook through and for the flavors to meld (dum cooking).
Step 13: Serve Biryani
Once dum cooking is complete, carefully remove the foil and lid. Gently fluff the biryani with a fork. Serve the hot chicken biryani with raita.
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