homemade biryani

Watch Recipe Video ABOVE for step by step directions. This homemade chicken biryani recipe is easier than you think. I have broken down the entire recipe into a step by step process so that you can make this at your own pace. This biryani recipe is closest to Hyderabadi Biryani where chicken and rice are layered to make the most fragrant, and well spiced biryani.

The Best Chicken Biryani (Step by step video recipe)

Onions (Large)

Vegetable Oil

Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks (bone-in and skinless (Note 2))

Yogurt (or hung curd)

Tomato Puree

Ginger Garlic Paste (minced ginger and garlic)

Red Chilli Powder (sub with 1 teaspoon Paprika + 1 teaspoon Cayenne)

Turmeric Powder

Garam Masala Powder

Brown Onions

Salt

Milk

10-15 Saffron strands

Basmati Rice (Note 3)

Water

Bayleaf

Cloves

Cardamom Pods

Mint Leaves (fresh)

Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)

Ghee (or Butter)

Crispy Brown Onions

Onion Raita

To make the brown onions, pat the onions dry and if time permits, leave them out on a kitchen towel for 15-20 minutes to dry them out slightly. Heat oil in a pan and add the onions. On a medium flame, shallow fry the onions for 15 minutes till they are a deep golden brown, without burning them. Drain them out on a paper towel, and set aside. These can be made ahead and stored in an air tight container overnight. Burnt onions will add a bitter flavor to the biryani. You can also use store bought fried onions/ shallots which are easily available in leading supermarkets, Indian and Asian stores.

Marinate Chicken

Mix together all the ingredients under chicken marinade and marinate for at least two hours or overnight for best results.

Soak Saffron

When you are ready to make the biryani, soak saffron strands in hot milk and rub them slightly with the back of a spoon. Set this aside.

Parboil Rice

Bring water to a roaring boil and add salt, whole spices and basmati rice. Cook for exactly 5 minutes and drain completely, leaving the whole spices in the rice. This will cook the rice to about 70% doneness which can be checked by pressing a grain of rice between two fingers - the rice should still be raw in the middle.

Layer and Cook Chicken Biryani

Layering and Cooking Chicken Biryani: Heat a heavy bottomed pot like a dutch oven, and add the chicken to it. Cook for 4 minutes and then turn the chicken pieces once. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Scatter half the onions all over the chicken, and then sprinkle all the coriander and mint leaves. Next layer the rice all over the mint and coriander, and in the end drizzle saffron milk and ghee all over the rice. Cover and cook on a low flame for 20 minutes - this will help steam the rice, cook it to doneness and cook the chicken. (Note 4)

To Finish

Once the biryani is cooked, let it rest for 5-10 minutes, and finish by scattering the remaining onions on top. Serve hot digging the spoon deep to get all the layers.

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The Best Chicken Biryani (Step by s...

Top 1 homemade biryani recipes from across the web

The most viewed homemade biryani recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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The Best Chicken Biryani (Step by s...

The most viewed homemade biryani recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine