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Chicken Biryani

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Chicken Biryani

What is Biryani?

Biryani is an aromatic Indian rice dish made by layering basmati rice with marinated meat like chicken or lamb, lots of spices like masala, cardamon, turmeric and saffron, and herbs. You cook it up in a Dutch oven and then serve it at the centre of the table for everyone to enjoy. It is honestly one of the best rice dishes in the world. It does take a few steps and some time but it's worth it.

Ingredient Notes

Aged basmati rice:

Aged basmati has lower moisture content than fresh rice, which allows it to absorb water more evenly during the parboil and stay separate after the dum cook rather than clumping. Look for it at Indian or Asian grocers. Fresh basmati will work, but the grains tend to be softer and stick more after the steam.

Kashmiri chilli powder:

Kashmiri chilli is much milder than regular chilli powder and gives the marinade its deep red colour without adding a lot of heat. It’s worth finding at an Indian grocer for the colour alone. If you’re substituting regular chilli powder, use half the amount and check the heat level before marinating.

Saffron:

Saffron steeps in warm milk to release its colour and flavour before being drizzled over the top layer of rice. This gives the biryani its distinctive golden patches. You only need a large pinch. If you can’t find it, a pinch of turmeric in the warm milk will give you the colour but not the flavour.

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Ingredients

3 large red onions, sliced thin
peanut oil for shallow frying
1 kg chicken thighs, bone in, skin off
4 tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
3 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
juice of 1 lemon
2 green chillies
2 cinnamon sticks
14 green cardamom pod
2 tsp cumin seeds
6 cloves
salt to taste
1 bunch mint
1 bunch coriander
500g aged basmati rice
¼ cup of milk, warmed
1 large pinch of saffron threads

DOUGH SEAL (OPTIONAL)

1 cup plain flour
⅓ cup of water (adjust as needed)

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large saucepan or deep frying pan (for frying onions)
Slotted spoon or tongs
Large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot with tight-fitting lid
Large pot with lid (for parboiling rice)
Colander
Small bowl or jug

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Directions

FRY THE ONIONS

Start by making the crispy onions by heating up enough oil in a saucepan over a medium high heat to shallow fry the sliced onions in batches until golden brown. Keep your eyes on them as it doesn't take long for them to crisp up.

MARINATE CHICKEN

Next, marinate your chicken in a large pot (dutch oven) by adding the chicken, yoghurt, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, ginger paste, garlic, lemon juice, 1 green chilli sliced thin, 1 cinnamon stick, 8 green cardamom pods (lightly crushed), 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves, a tsp of salt, ½ of your chopped mint and ½ of the coriander, and ⅓ of the fried onions you just made.
Mix well so the spices are blended and the chicken is completely covered. Marinate for 4-24 hours in the fridge.

PREP THE RICE

Start this process about an hour before the chicken is ready to pull out of the fridge. So, if you’re marinating for four hours, start the rice at the 3 hour mark.
With the rice, rinse it twice then soak it in water for 40 minutes.

MAKE SAFFRON MILK

Add the warmed milk to a small bowl or jug and add in the saffron. Mix gently and set aside to steep. Optional - once your saffron milk is steeping, make the dough seal (recipe further down) and set it aside. You’ll use it later when assembling the biryani.

COOK THE RICE

Bring a large pot with a lid to boil (about half full with water) and season with 1 tbsp salt, 6 green cardamom, 1 green chilli sliced lengthways in half, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 1 tsp cumin seeds and bring to a simmer.
Drain your soaking rice and add to the simmering water. Turn the heat on your pot to high, stir once, put the lid on and cook for 4-6 minutes or until it's just cooked. You still want a bit of bite in the rice.
Remove the rice from the water and set aside.

COOK CHICKEN AND LAYER YOUR BIRYANI

Place the marinated chicken that’s in the pot onto a high heat and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes.
Turn the heat off and remove half of the chicken with some of the sauce. This helps create two even layers when you add the rice and herbs. Spread the remaining chicken in the pot out evenly.
Then, sprinkle half of the rice on the chicken in the pot and make sure it’s nice and even.
Add the remaining chicken on top of the rice and add a layer of the crispy onions and half of the remaining chopped mint and coriander.
Repeat with the rice, crispy onions and the rest of the mint and coriander.
Drizzle the saffron milk all over the top.
Cover the pot with the lid and seal it either with a tea towel with it sitting slightly under the lid or the dough seal (steps below).
Turn your cooktop to medium high and cook for 10 minutes, then turn it down to very low and cook for 30 minutes.
Take from the heat and let it rest for 20 minutes before taking the lid off and serving. If you have any remaining herbs, you can sprinkle these over the top of the rice to serve.

DOUGH SEAL (OPTIONAL)

If you don’t want to do this step, you can just use a tea towel to seal the pot. If you want to make it, start after you make your saffron milk.
Add the flour and water to a bowl and combine until it’s a shaggy mess (not too dry and not too wet) and start kneading with your hands. If it’s sticking to your board, just add some flour to help.
Roll it out into a long baton and leave in the bowl and set aside.
When you are cooking your chicken, you can prep this dough so it’s ready for the pot.
Place onto your bench with some flour and roll it out into a log and stretch it so it’s long enough to go around your pot.
Use the dough to seal the pot by wrapping it around the pot and pinching it so it fully seals it.

Notes

Chef Tips

Take the onions all the way to deep golden

The crispy onions go into the marinade, the layers, and the garnish, so their flavour carries through the whole dish. Frying them to a pale gold isn’t enough. You want a deep, even amber that looks almost too dark before you pull them out. They continue to colour as they cool and release their sweetness into the oil. Fry in batches so the oil temperature stays high and the onions crisp rather than stew.

Parboil the rice to exactly 70 percent done

The rice finishes cooking during the 30-minute dum, so it needs to go in firm with a clear bite in the centre. If it’s fully cooked when it goes into the layers, it will overcook and turn mushy under the steam. Bite a grain at the 4-minute mark: you should feel resistance in the middle. Pull it at that point and drain immediately. It will look underdone, and that’s exactly right.

Storage

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, add 2 tablespoons of water to the container, cover tightly with foil and warm in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes, or reheat on the stovetop over low heat with the lid on, stirring gently to avoid breaking the rice. The flavour is often better the next day.

Authenticity

This style of biryani originates from Hyderabadi, India, blending Mughlai and Iranian culinary influences with local Telangana traditions. The “dum”relates to the method of slow cooking in a sealed pot, to allow the flavours to infuse the rice.

Not a saucy biryani

Don’t expect gravy here. The rice should be fully cooked but dry, with all the flavour coming from the marinade, saffron milk, herbs, and steam. If you want it a bit more saucy, feel free to bump up the marinade quantities.

Serving idea

This biryani is a meal on its own, but you can serve it with raita, salad, or a simple cucumber yoghurt on the side.

Dough seal vs tea towel

I’ve included the dough method for sealing the pot, totally optional but a fun touch that locks in steam and looks the part. If you’re not keen, just use a tea towel under the lid to keep the heat in.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

You can, but thighs stay juicy during the long cook. Breasts might dry out a bit, especially during the final cook stage.

What if I don’t have a dutch oven or heavy pot?

Use any large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Just make sure it can handle a bit of heat and seal well especially if you’re doing the dough trick.

Do I have to marinate for the full 24 hours?

Nope. Even 4 hours does the job nicely, but longer is better for deeper flavour.

How do I know when the rice is ‘just cooked’ before layering?

You want it firm with a bit of bite, not fully soft. It finishes cooking in the final steam.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes but serving fresh is best. If you are cooking ahead of time, let it rest after cooking and reheat gently in the oven or on the stovetop with the lid on. Keeps well for leftovers too.