The Best Chicken Biryani
This chicken biryani recipe has been one of the most requested reader recipes and I'm so excited to share it with you today. Succulent, juicy pieces of chicken are cooked in a yogurt marinade and then layered with crispy onions, coriander, mint and basmati rice to give you a dish that the entire family will enjoy. I've broken the process step by step and made a recipe video for this chicken biryani so that you can make this restaurant style biryani at home!
Biryani in India doesn't just mean biryani. There are variations across the length and breadth of the country. There is Hyderabadi biryani (which is what I'm sharing today) where the biryani has a lot of gravy or masala and is cooked slowly with rice in a sealed pot. Then there is the Muslim wedding biryani which actually has lesser masala, but packed with flavour mostly from whole spices; the Kerala biryani, donne biryani from Karnataka and so many more.
In every single form, biryani is delicious and is almost like a one pot meal that's enjoyed by families and eaten together - like a celebration!
But I have to be a 100% honest with you. I had never made chicken biryani before I decided to share this recipe. And I got convinced because so so many of you have requested for a legit/authentic biryani recipe that was also relatively easy.
And we are biryani lovers. Mostly mutton biryani, but this chicken biryani really changed our mind.
The first time I attempted it, I was nervous, because it seemed so difficult and daunting and it looked like there were a gazillion steps. So I took a deep breath and decided to break them down for you
ingredients for chicken biryani
Here's everything that you'll need to make biryani:
Chicken: I only like to use thighs and drumsticks for chicken biryani because they remain juicy and don't overcook through the long cooking time. For me, chicken breast is a big no no as it will dry out and will just be rubbery.
Yogurt: Greek yogurt, plain yogurt or homemade curd/dahi works well. Acts as a tenderiser and add some tanginess to the masala
Fried Onions: Also called birista, I've outlined the process to make fried onions at home below. But these days, packages fried onions are easily available and are more convenient option. To store a large amount of fried onions, place them in an airtight container and freeze them for later
Tomato Puree: Used in the marinade for flavour and body
Ginger Garlic Paste: Simply ground ginger and garlic, I recommend making this at home, but if you are in a hurry, store bought works too
Whole Spices: Bay leaf, Cloves, Green Cardamom and Saffron (kesar for that distinct orange colour) - these form the flavour base and give biryani that distinct fragrance that wafts up as soon as you open the pot
Ground Spices: Red Chilli Powder (sub with a mix of paprika and cayenne if living outside India), turmeric powder and garam masala powder
Herbs: Fresh mint and coriander leaves (cilantro) are essential to making biryani. They add freshness and bring the rice and chicken together
Fat & Dairy: Both oil and ghee. You can choose to only use ghee but in my opinion, it makes the biryani even richer. But ghee is what was traditionally used to make biryani. You'll also need a little milk to soak the saffron strands
Basmati Rice: This is a key ingredient in most biryani recipes, even the ones outside India like the Pakistani biryani and Afghani biryani. Please note that basmati rice is different from long grain rice. Basmati has long grains but also comes with a distinct fragrance and flavour. Look for aged basmati rice that has been aged for at least 1-2 years.
fried onions and basmati rice
Fried onions are a key ingredient here, and it’s important to get this right. Onions are cut into slices and then browned on medium flame in oil. They don't need to be extra crispy, but onions should be a deep golden brown without getting burnt. You can also use store bought fried onions which are easily available in supermarkets these days.
While choosing rice for the biryani, make sure to buy 'basmati rice' and not long grain rice. While they may look similar at first, good quality basmati rice is fragrant, and has grains that are thin and long as opposed to long grain rice which has fatter grains and almost no fragrance. The basmati rice is cooked for exactly 5 minutes in boiling water with whole spices and salt to get it to the right doneness - which is 70%. Drain the rice well to get rid of any excess water. The rice will continue to steam when we finally cook it along with the chicken and that's where it picks all the flavour and perfume from the chicken, saffron, mint leaves and coriander.
how to marinate chicken for biryani
This Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani gets a lot of its flavor from the marinade. We are using yogurt as a tenderiser, fried onions (birista), tomato puree, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt to flavor the chicken. It's important to marinate the chicken in a large bowl for at least two hours or overnight for the maximum flavor. Like I said before, I prefer using only chicken thighs and legs for chicken biryani because these are the juiciest and do not become dry while the biryani cooks.
how to make chicken biryani
Once you have your chicken marinated, rice and fried onions ready, start by cooking the marinated chicken. To cook the chicken, place it in the dutch oven or a large pot that you plan to use for cooking the biryani, and cook them for 7 minutes. There is no need to stir the chicken, only flip it once around the 4 minute mark.
Once the chicken is partially cooked, the next step is to layer it with the fried onions, mint and coriander. The onions add sweetness and richness while the herbs add a ton of flavor and freshness.
The final step is layering with 70% cooked basmati rice. Sprinkle saffron milk and ghee on top and cover tightly with a lid. Originally, the pot was sealed with dough to prevent steam from escaping, but a tight lid works just as well. It's important to cook this on a low flame so that the heat distributes evenly and the bottom doesn't get burnt.
And there you go! The whole thing takes approximately an hour so I call this a weekend project, but after you've done it once, you'll realize how easy and simple making biryani at home is! The results of your labour will look like this, and trust me, there is nothing like the smell of chicken biryani wafting through the house to get everyone to the table!
Let's just say - five attempts to make sure I provide you with instructions that you can actually follow with ease at home did not seem like work.
prevent biryani from burning at the bottom
It's really important to use a heavy-bottomed pot when you make chicken biryani, or the chicken pieces can be scorched or burnt. A dutch oven will be your best friend while making this biryani because it heats evenly and stays warm. It also has a thick bottom that does not let your food get burnt easily. Another tip is to keep the biryani pot on a tava or flat skillet. This will stop it from coming in contact with direct heat, and it'll steam at a low heat.
serving suggestions:
Serve chicken biryani with raita, salan and maybe a salad. Keep simple accompaniments but a good biryani doesn't need much!
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