This Hyderabadi chicken biryani is the most delicious and aromatic Indian dish ever, with juicy chicken in layers of fluffy rice, fragrant spices and fried onions. I share with you an easy way to make biryani while still retaining the authentic taste.
What is Biryani?
Biryani is a classic Indian mixed rice dish that is part of the Indian Mughlai culinary tradition, which traces its roots to central Asian cuisine and a rich fusion with Indian flavors and techniques. It is prepared with layers of fluffy basmati rice and exquisitely spiced meat or chicken.
Classic biryani can justly be called the crown jewel of Indian cuisine, a dream dish that should not be missed!
Hyderabadi Biryani
Hyderabad, the city of my childhood, is rightfully famous for its biryani - an addictive rice and meat/chicken dish. And Hyderabadi biryani is by far the most favored among the other regional versions.
There are two versions of Hyderabadi biryani:
- Pakki biryani - cooked meat or chicken is layered with parboiled rice and steamed together.
- Kacchi biryani - raw marinated meat or chicken is placed in a single layer in the bottom of a cooking pot and topped with partially cooked rice and steamed together. This is the easier method.
Why This Recipe Works
- One Step: You don't have to cook the chicken separately before layering it with the rice.
- Perfect Rice: Reliable and easy rice cooking techniques for fluffy rice. I show you how to make it using a rice cooker, which is the safest way to prepare fluffy rice. But I also have tips for cooking rice the traditional way.
What Makes a Perfect Biryani
- Texture of Rice Grains: The cooked rice should be fluffy and separate. If you take a fistful of biryani and throw it on a plate, the rice should scatter like pearls and not clump together. With this recipe you will get that perfection every single time!
- Juicy and Flavorful Chicken: Also, the chicken should be nicely marinated for a long time for the flavors to infuse. It should be well done, juicy and falling off the bone.
- Spices and Aromatics: Don't skimp on the spices, fried onions, oil, salt and seasonings. You need that for robust flavor.
- Elegant Presentation: The final dish will have rice grains in a variety of colors from the absorption of spices, juices and saffron.
Ingredient Notes
- Basmati Rice: I use the highest quality aged long grain basmati rice from a popular brand, such as India gate classic. Look for the best variety in any brand at your Indian grocery store, which is usually the most expensive.
- Chicken with bone: I choose whole chicken with bone as it is the most flavorful. Chicken leg quarters or thighs will work too. But avoid chicken breast as it will be too dry. For boneless option, use chicken thigh meat.
- Yogurt: Just plain regular yogurt that is neither be too thick nor too runny. Not Greek yogurt. To make it dairy free, try coconut yogurt.
- Spices:
- I use ground spices to marinate the chicken. If using whole spices, double the amount because ground spices are more intense.
- Flavor the rice with whole spices wrapped in a muslin cloth or metal mesh cooking infuser.
- Homemade biryani masala recipe is below. For a ready-made option, try Shaan Sindhi biryani masala, but adjust the added salt and chili powder.
- Herbs: Fresh cilantro and mint will give the best results. But frozen cilantro and dried mint can also work for the marinade.
- Ginger and Garlic: Grate or grind these fresh for amazing taste.
- Saffron: High quality saffron adds great flavor. Read more: Saffron Tea.
- Onions: Thinly slice the onions. I use my mandolin slicer. To fry them quick and crisp, sprinkle some flour on the onions before frying. Gluten-free flour alternatives are corn starch or rice flour plus corn starch.
- Ghee: Drizzle the rice with ghee to take your biryani up a notch.
How To Make Easy Biryani
*Step-by-Step overview here. Full recipe with ingredient amounts is at the end of post.
- Fry Onions: Slice onions very finely and fry them in batches using fresh oil, until crisp and light golden brown. Also, don't let it turn soggy or dark brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Chicken Marination: Combine chicken with all marinade ingredients, ⅓ fried onions and ground biryani spice blend. Tip: Rule of thumb is to use equal amounts of rice and chicken by weight, such as, one pound rice for one pound chicken. For more chicken, use 1½ to 2 times the quantity of rice.
- Cook Rice: Rinse basmati rice until clear. Soak ⅓ cup rice in water. Cook remaining rice in rice cooker (test a ratio of 1¼ to 1½ cups water for 1 cup rice). For alternative traditional method, boil rice in lots of salted water, using a ratio of 3 cups of water for 1 cup of rice and with 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook it al dente like pasta, for 4 to 5 minutes and drain the rice immediately. We use this method for our lamb biryani recipe.
- Assemble Rice and Chicken Layers: Transfer chicken with marinade to a wide cooking pot. Top with chopped cilantro, mint, half lemon juice, some olive oil and most of the remaining fried onions. Tip: If cooking on stove, use a thick bottomed 5 to 6 quart cooking pot. Very deep and tall pots are not suitable.
- Add Soaked Rice: Drain and spread it over the chicken. This raw rice will absorb all the juices from the marinade while cooking.
- Final Rice Layer: Transfer all the cooked rice. Top with remaining fried onions, lemon juice, saffron water and ghee.
- Steaming: Cover with parchment paper, followed by aluminum foil and fit the lid tight over it. Bake in oven for one hour, until steam builds up well.
- On Stove top: Alternatively, heat biryani at medium high for 10 to 15 minutes and then simmer at low for one hour until steam builds up well.
- Serve: Cool biryani for five minutes. Gently mix rice and chicken and enjoy!
What to Serve Along
Biryani is typically served at festive occasions and considered a complete meal, along with a saucy side dish such as baghare baingan (eggplants in rich sauce), mirchi ka salan (chili peppers in creamy sauce) or Hyderabadi tomato egg curry and a yogurt salad called raita.
For a more elaborate menu, you can add other dishes such as:
- Mains: Nihari, Chicken Korma
- Bread: Naan, Paratha
- Vegetarian: Aloo Gobi, Tadka Dal
- Appetizers: Meat Cutlets, Fish Cutlets
- Desserts: Kheer, Falooda
Biryani Masala
Grind all the spices below into a fine powder and store in airtight container. One fourth of this blend will be enough for the biryani recipe in this post. To make it more spicy, use extra spice blend.
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 black cardamom
- 20 green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 4 large bay leaves
- 4 teaspoons black cumin seeds (shahjeera)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon mace (optional)
Cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon are the most important spices in traditional biryani spice blends, although some regional variations may include additional spices like coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
Troubleshooting
If cooking on stove top, place the cooking pot over a flat griddle or heat diffuser. This will help prevent the rice getting burnt in the bottom.
Use chicken on bone. Cook with enough yogurt and juices but don't overcook the meat. Use optimal amount of water for the rice. And if rice is undercooked before steaming, then sprinkle some water all over before placing the lid.
Scoop out juices collected over marinated chicken and discard. Do not use too much yogurt. Evaporate excess juices, while stirring on high heat and without lid. Do not overcook rice, but if it get's overcooked then spread it on a large plate and aerate a bit before layering.
If using traditional method then cook rice in plenty of salted water just for 4 to 6 minutes until it is parboiled, making sure the grains don't get overcooked. Soak rice prior to cooking to make the grains stronger. Use optimal amount of water. And cook biryani in a wide cooking pot.
More Rice Recipes
- Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani
- Saffron rice with chicken, yogurt and spinach
- Persian shrimp rice
- Persian green bean rice
Full Recipe Video
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
FRIED ONIONS
- ¾ lb onions yellow, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups peanut oil
CHICKEN MARINATION
- 1½ lb chicken with bone, cut and clean, avoid chicken breast
- ⅔ cup yogurt plain
- 1½ tablespoon ginger garlic paste or grated ginger and garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust per taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric ground
- 1 chili pepper jalapeno, serrano or cayenne, adjust per taste
SPICES FOR MARINADE (see note)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 5 green cardamom
- 5 cloves
- 1 bay leaves large
- 1 teaspoon shah Jeera see note
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
BIRYANI
- 2 cups basmati rice long grain
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust per taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 2 tablespoon mint fresh, chopped
- 1 teaspoon saffron ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoon hot water
- 2 tablespoon ghee optional, recommended
WHOLE SPICES FOR RICE
- 1 black cardamom
- 3 green cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cinnamon stick
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
- Wide Frying Pan
- Candy/Fry thermometer
- Spice Grinder
- Oven Proof Cooking Pot
Instructions
Fry Onions
- Heat oil at medium high in a wide frying pan. If you place your palm about 3 inches over the surface of oil, you should feel the heat. Or use a candy/fry thermometer.
- Fry onions in batches. Do not crowd the pan. Fry until crisp light golden brown. Set aside.
Marinate Chicken
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken with all marinade ingredients and ⅓ of fried onions. Tip: Add yogurt, starting with ½ cup and increase as needed to ¾ cup. The mixture should be thick and not runny. Chicken should be lightly coated with marinade. Too much marinade can make rice soggy.
- In a spice grinder, process spices for marinade until fine powder. Add to chicken marinade and combine. Marinate for about 3 to 5 hours.
Cook Rice
- Rinse rice 4 to 5 times in lots of water until it is clear. Drain well. Soak ⅓ cup basmati rice in water for one hour. Save the rest.
- Here we use the rice cooker method. For alternative traditional cooking method check our lamb biryani recipe.
- Bring 2¼ cups of water to a rolling boil in a rice cooker. Add ¾ teaspoon salt, 1½ tablespoons olive oil and whole spices (see note). Then add remaining 1⅔ cups basmati rice and stir. Let it cook just until all the water is absorbed (see notes).
- It is important to NOT let the rice steam until it is fully done. Just when all the water is well absorbed, transfer cooked rice immediately to another wide open pan. In my rice cooker the whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Assemble
- Transfer chicken with marinade to a 5-quart, wide, thick-bottomed and oven-proof cooking pot (9 to 10 inch diameter). Make sure there is not too much marinade around chicken pieces and that it is not runny.
- Scatter cilantro, mint, half the lemon juice and ½ tablespoon olive oil over the chicken and marinade. Then scatter most of the fried onions.
- Drain the soaked basmati rice very well and spread it over the fried onion layer. (This raw soaked rice will get cooked with the juices from chicken).
- Next, layer all the cooked rice. Top with remaining lemon juice, saffron water, fried onions and ghee.Tip: If you prefer, you may pick out the whole spices from cooked rice before steaming.
Steam
- Oven Method: Place one sheet of parchment paper, followed by one to two sheets of aluminum foil over the cooking pot. Place the lid tight over it. Bake biryani in a preheated oven at 350ºF for one hour, until steam builds up well.
- Stove-Top Method (Alternative): Heat the biryani at medium high for about 10 to 15 minutes and then reduce to low and cook for one hour until steam builds up well.
Serve
- Remove from oven or stove. Let it cool five minutes and gently mix rice and chicken. Using a spatula, mound the biryani on a serving plate, making sure to present the rice in various colors - white, yellow, orange and brown. Place some chicken pieces on the top. Scatter fried onions, herbs and extra saffron rice on top.
- Serve it with mirchi ka salan or Hyderabadi tomato egg curry and raita.
Notes
- Rinse basmati rice several times until the water is clear and not starchy.
- Rice cooker: Use minimal water to cook rice. Test 1¼ to 1½ cups water per cup of basmati rice and check.
- Alternative to frying onions: If you are unable to fry onions then saute them until crisp golden brown like in this Persian noodle soup recipe and adjust oil used.
- Branded biryani spice mixes may include salt and chili powder. If using that, then adjust salt and chili powder.
- Optimal amount of salt and oil is very important. If everything else is perfect and you don't use right amount of salt, that alone can ruin the taste of biryani. I use a minimum of 2 tablespoons of oil per cup of raw rice, as there are additional ingredients - chicken, onions, etc.
- Whole spices can also be cooked wrapped in a muslin cloth (like boquet garni) or in a metal mesh cooking infuser. If using whole spices for marinade, then double the amount of spices. Ground spices are more intense.
- Meal Prep: Combine chicken with marinade and fry onions a day before.
- Storage and Freezing: Leftovers can be stored in refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for later.
- Scale Recipe: Click on number of servings and slide. Adjust the cooking pot size.
- Shajeera: These are referred to as black cumin or black caraway seeds in Indian stores. The labeling is not consistent. Ask your Indian grocer for “shahjeera”.
Nutrition
More Indian Recipes
This post was first published on The Delicious Crescent in May 2016 and has been updated for your benefit.
Anonymous
How do you cook the rice? Do you boil water first and put rice first and close lid and put flame on sim?
Roxana Begum
For this recipe, I would not cook rice with water and leave it on simmer to let it steam until done - the regular method. I would recommend two ways - (1) cooking with water, oil and salt in rice cooker like in the recipe or (2) to cook like pasta as in the comment above.
Rachana Hegde
Hi Roxana
I tried your biryani receipt today and for the first time I got a perfect biryani where the rice was not overcooked or sticky. You have explained each and every step beautifully and if followed correctly gives the result exactly like the picture.
Thanks
Rachana
Roxana Begum
Hi Rachana. I am truly delighted to hear that. And thanks for stopping by and sharing your feedback :)
fathiali
iove chicken biryani so much
Roxana Begum
So glad you like it :)
Rubina
Hi Roxana
I’ve made your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani twice and today is the 3rd time. I must admit that I ’ve Come to love this recipe of yours. For me, it’s a quick dish to prepare , especially on a Friday morning for lunch.
And it’s impressed my husband, he’s rather picky about what he eats.
It’s also become my favorite type of Biryani.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Roxana Begum
Hi Rubina. Thanks so much for your thoughtful and lovely feedback. I am truly delighted to know that it has worked well :)
Debra Daniel
Hey,
Thank you for these amazing article I really like these and I never tried these kind of recipe but i will be serving my guest in upcoming Weekend, Before that
Can you please tell me that this acesaffron persian saffron is fair for using in this recipe or not ?
I'm going to purchase it from there florida store so that is why i wanted to be sure before buying
I read your article which is really made me think before buying from any where that is why i'm asking i hope you can reply me quickly
Please also mention quantity of using so i will follow you
Thanks
Roxana Begum
Hello Debra. Thanks for your lovely feedback. I don’t know particularly about this company. In general original Persian saffron is of high quality. Good saffron is sometimes also sourced from Spain etc. I have been told that Mehr Saffron brand on Amazon is also good. I haven’t tried it myself but it is listed as an Amazon choice item. You may use one teaspoon of saffron for this recipe as specified. Hope you enjoy it!
Brandon
I go to a Hyderabadi restaurant that serves a vegetable biryani that tastes very similar to the chicken. Can the recipe be followed without the chicken and still taste similar or would you need to add the yogurt and other marinade ingredients as well?
Roxana Begum
The Hyderabadi vegetable biryani would need the same ingredients to get the optimum flavor and taste. The chicken can be substituted with vegetables such as a mix of roasted eggplant, mushrooms, carrots, peas, cauliflower, potatoes, green beans etc. To add some protein, whole chickpeas (garbanzo beans), Indian paneer (cheese), tofu etc are some options.
Arjun sharma
Thanks jovita this is an old recipe my favourite
Pintu
Roaxana, this biryani turns out very well every time I make it. The essense is sticking to your recipe, however, I never add saffron as it is not available at my place. Does saffron greatly alter the biryani taste?
Roxana Begum
Thanks for your lovely feedback Pintu. There are several flavor elements in play for making a great biryani flavor - the spices, the basmati rice, browned onions, ginger, garlic, yogurt, herbs, ghee if used, saffron etc. So if you skip one of those it will not be 100 percent like the optimal flavor especially if you have a keen sense of taste. However, sometimes people do make it without saffron because of non availability or high cost. Although it is expensive, you only need a little. Again the discernment of saffron flavor may differ with palates and exposure.
MARY
I smelled yet another delicious dish coming from my neighbors next door. I asked them what it was, they said chicken biriyani.. Later they sent me over a taste. I had to have more so I checked it out online and found a ton of ingredients.. I saw a tv dinner at the store and I am in love with it.. I still want to make it myself. Looking thru a lot of pictures and ingredients, yours looks the most similar. Yours has yogurt in it and is hyderabadi, same as the TV dinner.. I hope to make it soon, cant wait :)
Roxana Begum
Thanks Mary. So thrilled to hear that! Biryani is a classic dish and I learned to make it over the years. Do let me know if you have any questions. I would be happy to help you. To start with try to use as many easy tips in the recipe as possible.
Claire
This looks so delicious! I am just loving that picture of the crispy fried onions.....they make my mouth water.
Pinning this to try soon. :D
Roxana Begum
Thanks Clarie. Hope you enjoy making it. I would be glad to share my journey testing it and making it work for me.
Leslie
I seriously wish I had sniff-a-post enabled on my computer. This has to smell amazing with all the herbs and spice!
Roxana Begum
You make my day :) Yes it is indeed one of the most aromatic dishes.
Caroline
I haven't had a biriyani for a while but yours looks wonderful. It is one of those dishes that is a bit of a labor of love, but worth it when done well. Helpful tips too.
Roxana Begum
Thanks Caroline. Indeed it is a labor of love. Especially if one has to do all the steps as it was done traditionally.
EA
Beautiful recipe Roxana! I have eaten biryani before, but never tried making it. You make it look pretty easy :-) I am pinning this to make~hopefully soon!
Roxana Begum
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback. Hope you enjoy making it. Making a video for this has been long overdue. I hope to get to it, so it becomes easier for even those without much culinary background.
camila
Love this biryani! Looks so flavorful! Also love all the tips!
Roxana Begum
Thanks Camilla. That makes me happy :)
Elaine
This looks really delicious! I have never heard of Biryani! I want to try this dish and I believe hubby will thank me when I do! Great recipe!
Roxana
Thanks Elaine. Enjoy! I hope to post a video for this recipe too.
Deanna
This looks yummy!!!
Roxana
Thanks Deanna!
Patty
Awesome recipe! Biryani is my favorite Indian recipe, so tasty!
Roxana
Thanks Patty. So glad you liked it :)
Sara
This looks fantastic! I can't wait to try your recipe!
Roxana
Thanks Sara. Enjoy!
Jovita
Wow, this chicken looks so good! I love all the flavors combined in this one :)
Roxana
Thanks Jovita. This is a old traditional Indian recipe.
Shibani
Very tempting, bookmarked to try this version.Thanks
Roxana
Thanks Shibani for your visit and comment. If you have any suggestions please let me know.