Chicken Biryani is a flavorful and aromatic rice dish that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is a delightful and indulgent dish often enjoyed on special occasions or whenever you feel like treating yourself to a rich, flavorful rice-based meal. Popular in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, Chicken Biryani is loved for its unique combination of spices and textures. This recipe uses basmati rice, as my family prefers long-grain rice over small-grain biryani rice.
Should I Cook Rice Before Preparing Chicken?
Basmati rice is cooked separately with herbs and spices and then evenly spread over the juicy and tender chicken curry before being kept for dum (slow cooking) for one hour. The partially cooked basmati rice and chicken curry are layered together in a pot and cooked on low heat, allowing them to infuse each other’s flavors. The dum cooking method involves sealing the pot with a tight lid to trap steam, creating a gentle, slow-cooking environment. This results in a biryani that is moist, tender, and full of rich flavors.
Sundays are always special for us. Since it’s a holiday, we prefer having special rice dishes instead of plain boiled rice with curries. Last Sunday, I decided to prepare Chicken Dum Biryani, which is both simple and easy to make. An essential ingredient for this flavorful rice is a handful of fresh mint and coriander leaves—I find it difficult to prepare any biryani without these two!
Is This Biryani Spicy?
The layers of this biryani are infused with aromatic spices, herbs, and seasonings. The dum cooking process intensifies the flavors and ensures that the rice and meat cook evenly. The blend of spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, gives the dish a distinct taste. The partially cooked rice absorbs the flavors from the chicken curry during dum cooking, resulting in fluffy and flavorful rice.
Ingredients
For Marinating Chicken:
- Biryani cut chicken pieces – 500g
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- Ginger garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
- Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
For Frying:
- Sliced onion – 1
- Cashew nuts – 10
- Raisins – 8
- Ghee – 2 tablespoons
- Oil – 2 tablespoons
Preparing Chicken Gravy:
- Cardamom – 2
- Cinnamon – 1.5 inch
- Cloves – 3
- Bay leaf – 1
- Sliced onion – 3
- Green chilli (chopped) – 1
- Ginger garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
- Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
- Biryani masala or Garam masala – 1 tablespoon
- Hot water – 3/4 cup
Preparing Biryani Rice:
- Basmati rice – 2 cups
- Water – 2.5 cups
- Coriander leaves – 1 teaspoon
- Mint leaves – 1 teaspoon
- Cardamom – 2
- Cloves – 2
- Cinnamon – 1-inch stick
- Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Ghee – 2 tablespoons
To Garnish:
- Coriander leaves – 2 teaspoons
Method of Preparation
Step 1: Preparing the Chicken
- Wash and clean the chicken pieces, then transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Add turmeric powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, and lemon juice.
- Mix well and marinate for about one hour.
Step 2: Preparing the Rice
- Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- In a large biryani pot, add 2.5 cups of water along with mint leaves, coriander leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add basmati rice and cook until the water is almost completely absorbed.
- Switch off the flame and set the rice aside.
Step 3: Frying Garnishes
- Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a kadai, fry cashew nuts and raisins, and set aside.
- In the same kadai, add 2 tablespoons of oil and fry one sliced onion until crispy and brown. Keep aside.
Step 4: Preparing the Chicken Gravy
- In the same kadai, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf.
- Roast for 20 seconds, then add chopped green chilli and sliced onions.
- Add ginger garlic paste and salt, sauté on low flame for a minute.
- Once the onions become translucent, add coriander powder, chilli powder, and biryani masala.
- Sauté on low flame until the raw flavors settle.
- Add marinated chicken pieces and stir on high flame for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 3/4 cup of hot water, cover, and cook on medium flame for 15 minutes.
- Stir occasionally and add 2 teaspoons of fried onions.
Step 5: Layering and Dum Cooking
- Using a fork, fluff the rice and transfer it over the prepared chicken curry.
- Garnish with fried onions, coriander leaves, cashew nuts, and raisins.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ghee over the rice and close the lid tightly.
- Keep the biryani on dum (low flame) for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, switch off the flame and let the biryani rest for 1 hour.
Step 6: Serving
- Serve the biryani warm after resting for an hour.
- You can transfer it to a serving bowl and reheat in the microwave if needed.
Enjoy this delicious and aromatic Chicken Biryani with raita or a side salad!
