Chicken biryani recipe – Hyderabadi-style chicken biryani recipe

 

Almost a month ago, our little girl turned two. We had many guests and I usually don’t cook large quantities, for large groups because of various reasons: I don’t have large enough pots, the planning is pretty meticulous, it’s a time consuming process, etc. So we decided to order food instead of cooking. And what other Indian special occasion dish to order if not biryani?

My husband and I, we never had the famous and authentic Hyderabadi biryani, so we decided to give a try and we ordered mutton biryani, directly from Hyderabad. Yes it came by flight and delivered an evening prior the event, courtesy and many thanks to Biryani by Air. They practically fly biryani from Hyderabad to Mumbai and Pune.

It was delicious, perfect blend of spices and aromas, not too greasy, mutton was well done but the amount of rice was pretty large, we had enough of it left for next days.

Last weekend I had a craving for chicken biryani, so I decided to cook it. I love the aroma of whole spices, rice and slow-cooked meat, which fills my whole house whenever I prepare biryani.

I don’t really remember the source(s) of this chicken biryani Hyderabadi-style recipe, it was there since ages, on a simple hand written paper, recipe that I follow almost all the time I’m cooking chicken biryani Hyderabadi-style. Well yes, there are recipes I can never be tired of cooking them over and over again, even if I have tried different chicken biryani recipes over the years. But the recipe I’m going to share today is definitely my favorite!

Now you will see a long list of ingredients, don’t feel intimidated thinking that there’s a lot of work to be done. Not at all. Once you have gathered all the ingredients and have kept them ready, the whole process of cooking will be pretty easy.

Now let’s get started!

Step by step Hyderabadi-style chicken biryani recipe

You should start by frying the onions. Now days you can find fried onions in the store, ready sliced and deep fried. Though, I recommend you to use fresh fried onions.
Slice about 5-6 medium onions, julienne cut (or half moon style) and deep fry them until golden-brown. Keep aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

chicken biryani step by step recipe

Now let’s prepare the chicken marinade.
Wash properly the pre-cut chicken pieces and eventually cut them smaller if they are too big.

In a big bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients together, and add the chicken pieces to it. Mix well and marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight).

chicken biryani hyderabadi style step by step

Once the chicken is marinated, it is time to cook it.

Take a deep, big pot and heat one tablespoon of ghee or oil, over medium flame. Add the marinated chicken and all of the marinade, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chopped tomato and mix well. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.

chicken biryani hyderabadi style steps cooking

hyderabadi chicken biryani recipe

 

 

In the meantime, let’s prepare the rice.

Take another big pot, add about 6 cups of water, black and green cardamoms, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, carraway seeds and salt. Bring to boil and add the soaked and drained rice (rice needs to be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking). Cook the rice for about 4-5 minutes over medium heat. The rice should be slightly undercooked or al dente.

Once cooked, drain the water and keep the rice aside. You can also remove the cardamoms, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns, if you don’t want a too strong flavored rice or if you don’t want to see them in your plate. I usually remove them after cooking the rice.

chicken biryani recipe steps how to cook chicken biryani

chicken biryani how to cook recipe

Take a frying pan, add a drop of ghee or oil and fry the dried fruits, for 2-3 minutes until slightly brown. Remove on a paper towel and keep them aside.

chicken biryani with dry fruits

In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of warm water (or milk) and a pinch of saffron. Keep it aside.

chicken biryani with saffron

Once the chicken is cooked, it’s time for layering the biryani.

Bring the flame to low heat and cover the chicken with a layer of rice (use half of the rice). On top of the rice, add half of fried onions, some coriander and mint leaves and also sprinkle some garam masala.

Again repeat the same procedure and arrange the remaining rice, onions, coriander and mint leaves, garam masala, saffron and dry fruits.

chicken biryani preparation steps

chicken hyderabadi biryani layering

hyderabadi chicken biryani layers

Cover the pot with a lid. There are some techniques to seal the lid, either with wheat flour dough or to keep a heavy weight on the lid. I simply fixed a big aluminum foil before placing the lid.

chicken biryani cooking steps

Let it cook on very low flame, for 30-35 minutes. You will notice that after 15 minutes of cooking biryani, the aroma will start invading your house and you’ll be impatient to have it in your plate.

chicken biryani hyderabadi style

 

Serve it warm with some raita on the side and if you like biryani, also check out my Mutton biryani – Gosht biryani recipe.

Well I hope you try this recipe and let me know how it turns out for you!


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Chicken biryani recipe – Hyderabadi-style chicken biryani recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
What you need
  • For marinade:
  • 500 gms pre-cut chicken, without skin;
  • 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste;
  • 1 cup of deep fried, sliced onions;
  • 2 green chillies, chopped;
  • 4 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) or oil;
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves;
  • 10-12 mint leaves;
  • 1 tbsp lime juice;
  • 1 cup of yogurt;
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder;
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder;
  • 1 tsp garam masala;
  • 1 tsp green cardamom powder;
  • ½ tsp salt.
  • For rice:
  • 2 cups of basmati rice (long grains), soaked in water for 30 minutes;
  • 3 black cardamoms;
  • 6 green cardamoms;
  • 6 peppercorns (black pepper);
  • 6 cloves;
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick;
  • 2 bay leaves;
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds (shahjeera);
  • 1 tsp salt;
  • 6 cups of water.
  • For layers:
  • 1 cup fried onions;
  • few coriander leaves and mint leaves, chopped;
  • pinch of saffron, dissolved in ¼ cup of warm water (or milk);
  • 1 tsp garam masala;
  • few mixed dried fruits (I have used cashews, almonds and raisins);
  • Others:
  • 1 tomato, chopped.
Method
  1. Slice about 5-6 medium onions, julienne cut (or half moon style) and deep fry them until golden-brown. Keep aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
  2. In a big bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients together, and add the chicken pieces to it. Mix well and marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
  3. Once the chicken is marinated, take a deep, big pan and heat one tablespoon of ghee or oil, over medium flame. Add the marinated chicken and all of the marinade, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped tomato and mix well. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.
  4. Take another big pot, add about 6 cups of water, black and green cardamoms, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, carraway seeds and salt. Bring to boil and add the soaked and drained rice (rice needs to be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking). Cook the rice for about 4-5 minutes over medium heat. The rice should be slightly undercooked or al dente.
  5. Once cooked, drain the water and keep the rice aside. You can also remove the cardamoms, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns, if you don't want a too strong flavored rice or if you don't want to see them in your plate.
  6. Take a frying pan, add a drop of ghee or oil and fry the dried fruits, for 2-3 minutes until slightly brown. Remove on a paper towel and keep them aside.
  7. In a small bowl, add ¼ cup of warm water (or milk) and a pinch of saffron. Keep it aside.
  8. Once the chicken is cooked, it's time for layering the biryani.
  9. Bring the flame to low heat and cover the chicken with a layer of rice (use half of the rice). On top of the rice add half of fried onions, some coriander and mint leaves and also sprinkle some garam masala.
  10. Again repeat the same procedure and arrange the remaining rice, onions, coriander and mint leaves, garam masala, saffron and dry fruits.
  11. Cover the pot with a lid.
  12. Let it cook on very low flame, for 30-35 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4

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