Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Marinade

In a large bowl, add the chicken with bone. Then add fried onion, chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, black cumin (shahi jeera), cardamom, chili flakes, cloves, coriander powder, cardamom, nutmeg, mace powder, and salt.

Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients to Marinade

Pour cooking oil over the chicken and spices. Add yogurt, lemon juice, green chili paste, ginger garlic paste, chopped mint, chopped coriander, and desi ghee to the bowl.

Step 3: Mix and Marinate Chicken

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with the chicken until every piece is well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to marinate for a few hours for the best flavor.

Step 4: Prepare Rice for Boiling

Soak the basmati rice in water for at least 30 minutes. In a large pot, add a generous amount of water, salt, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and black cumin (shahi jeera). Bring the water to a rolling boil.

Step 5: Boil and Drain Rice

Once the water is boiling, add the soaked basmati rice. Cook the rice until it is 50% done (partially cooked, but still firm to the bite). Drain the partially cooked rice and set it aside.

Step 6: Layer the Biryani

In the same large pot (cleaned), add cooking oil to the bottom. Evenly place the marinated chicken pieces at the bottom of the pot. Then, carefully layer the partially boiled basmati rice over the chicken.

Step 7: Prepare Saffron Milk

In a small bowl, combine milk, orange food color, and saffron threads. Mix well until the color is evenly distributed.

Step 8: Add Color and Seal the Pot

Drizzle the milk-saffron-food color mixture over the layered rice in the pot. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil, then place the lid on top to create a perfect seal, ensuring no steam escapes.

Step 9: Dum Cook the Biryani

Cook the biryani on high heat for the first 5-7 minutes to build up steam, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is tender and the rice is fully cooked through the dum cooking method.

Step 10: Serve Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Once cooked, gently open the lid and foil. Fluff the biryani with a spoon, mixing the chicken and rice. Serve hot and enjoy the aromatic Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani.

• Marinate the chicken for at least a few hours, or overnight, for the best flavor.

• Ensure the pot is sealed tightly during dum cooking to trap steam and cook the biryani evenly.

• Adjust chili powder and green chili paste according to your spice preference.

• For a richer flavor, you can add a few drops of kewra water or rose water to the milk-saffron mixture.

• Vegetables like potatoes or carrots can be added to the chicken marinade for a mixed vegetable biryani.