Chicken Biryani – South Indian Style
Recipe Summary
- 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.
All Ingredients - For Rice
- Basmati Rice 2 cups
- Salt 1 tsp
- Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
- Cardamom Pods 3-4
- Kewra Water 2 tsp
All Ingredients - For Green Paste
- Green Chillies 3-4
- Coriander Leaves 1/2 cup
- Mint Leaves 1/4 cup
All Ingredients - For Chicken Marinade
- Chicken (boneless, cubed) 750 g
- Salt 1.5 tsp
- Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 tbsp
- Curd 1/2 cup
- Fried Onion 1/2 cup
- Curry Leaves 1 sprig
- Chilli Powder 1 tsp
- Garam Masala 1 tsp
- Green Paste all of the prepared paste
All Ingredients - Other Ingredients
- Cooking Oil 3-4 tbsp
- Red Food Colour a pinch
- Yellow Food Colour a pinch
Tools You'll Need
- Pot
- Mixing bowl
- Colander
Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps
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.
No Garam masala?
- 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp coriander + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp cardamom
⚠ Contains Allergens
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash and Soak Rice
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 marinate for at least .
Step 4: Cook Chicken Curry
Heat 3-4 tbsp of cooking oil in a large pot. Add the marinated 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 steam 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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