Chicken Biryani Recipe | Biryani with Chicken - Cook with Kushi (2024)

Published: Nov 24, 2015 · Modified: Feb 6, 2024 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

Chicken Biryani is a popular Indian dish in which fluffy basmati rice is layered over the tender and flavorful chicken pieces with aromatic spices and herbs. For a complete meal, serve it with a boiled egg and raita (yogurt salad). This is a straightforward recipe for biryani that even bachelors and beginners can make.

Recipe card

Indian chicken biryani recipe

Biryani with chicken is the most loved type of biryani in India. The same recipe can make vegetables or biryani with mutton, pork, shrimp, lamb, etc. The steps remain the same.

Traditionally, chicken is marinated first. The raw, uncooked meat is layered on a pot, followed by fried onions, par-cooked rice, herbs, etc. This technique requires a little practice to avoid burning, and it is also called Hyderabadi dum biryani (kacchi biryani).

But today's recipe is all about making simple biryani with minimal Indian spices. Even bachelors and beginners can try this recipe at home when they crave biryani. You can make this in a pan or a pot. Check the instructions here on making Instant Pot chicken biryani. If you want to make chicken biryani without yogurt, try this recipe.

Ingredients

Chicken: Use skinless bone-in or bone-less chicken thighs, breasts, drumsticks, or legs, or a combination of all that you love.

Yogurt Or curd helps the meat tenderize. If you are not a yogurt fan, use lemon juice or coconut milk.

Rice: Good quality basmati rice is what makes this dish aromatic.

Ghee: For authentic flavors, make the entire biryani with ghee. Or use neutral vegetable oil.

Spices: Use whole Indian aromatic spices like bay leaves, cardamom, clove, and cinnamon that are available in your pantry.

Herbs: Biryani is incomplete without the addition of cilantro and mint (pudina).

Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

Marinate the chicken for biryani

• Make some gashes in the chicken thighs and add them to the bowl.
• Add yogurt, finely grated ginger, minced garlic, chopped green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, mint, and coriander leaves.
• Marinate it for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• You can keep marinated chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Marination makes it tender, moist, and flavorful.

Par cook basmati rice

• If you have time, soak the basmati rice in water for about 30 minutes. This helps make the rice fluffy.
• Add the rice to salted boiling water and cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until 80 percent is done.
• Drain the rice and keep it aside.

Optional step

• Soak saffron threads in warm milk and keep it aside.

How to make chicken biryani?

• Add oil, cumin seeds, cashews, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, and saute in a large pan on medium-high heat until aromatic.
• Now add finely sliced onion and saute until translucent.
• Add tomato, marinated chicken thighs, any excess marinade, a tablespoon of coriander leaves, and mint leaves, and cook for 5 minutes until the chicken becomes pale. Spread the chicken in a single layer.
• Now spread the partially cooked rice over the chicken, and pour the milk-saffron mixture or only the milk.
• Sprinkle some water over the rice.
• Next, add butter and a tablespoon finely chopped coriander and mint leaves, and cover the pan with a tight lid.
• Cook on medium-low heat for about 18-20 minutes or until rice is cooked completely. (if the rice is undercooked, sprinkle hot water and cook for a few more minutes)
• After removing from the heat, let the biryani rest in the pan with a closed lid for another 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice. Serve with raita or salan or biryani gravy (shorba), and enjoy.

Pro Tips

• Use a heavy-bottomed pan to prevent the biryani from catching the bottom.
• After adding partially cooked rice, place the biryani pan on a flat dosa skillet on medium-low heat and continue cooking for 18-20 minutes. This ensures an even distribution of heat and prevents the biryani from burning at the bottom.
• You may garnish with fried onions before serving. Check the recipe for making biryani with fried onions.
• Yogurt helps the meat tenderize. If you do not like curd or yogurt, marinate with lemon juice or coconut milk.
• Authentic biryani never uses tomatoes. I add them when I have them in my pantry. You can even skip them.
• If you do not have all the spices listed in the ingredient list, try using the available ones or add garam masala powder while sauteing the chicken.

Recipe FAQs

More biryani recipes

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Note: We originally posted this chicken biryani in Nov 2015. It has now been modified in Feb 2024 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc. You will see different pictures of biryani made using the same recipe.