Chicken Biryani: This delicious dish features tender chicken mixed with either Basmati or Seeraga Samba rice, each seasoned with a vibrant mix of fresh herbs and spices. Deeply rooted in Indian cuisine, Chicken Biryani can be prepared using the traditional 'dum' layering method, similar to the Mughlai style, or you can opt for the simpler Instant Pot, one-pot, pressure cooker technique detailed in this post.
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This flexibility makes Chicken Biryani a favorite for both novice cooks and seasoned chefs alike, allowing everyone to enjoy its rich flavors and aromatic presence at the table.
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A dish with origins in the Mughal empire, Chicken Biryani has made its way around the globe, adapting to the tastes and preferences of different regions. It's incredibly versatile, suitable for everyday meals or as a highlight at special occasions. Whether served with side dishes like curries and raita or enjoyed on its own, Chicken Biryani is a celebration of India’s rich culinary traditions.
How to Make Chicken Biryani at Home?
Let's prepare the rich flavors of traditional Dum Biryani, now easier with a pressure cooker. I’ve crafted this recipe that combines authentic taste with modern convenience. Follow along with my step-by-step photos and video for a simple guide.
Explore a Variety of Our Rice and Biryani Recipes:
- Ambur Biryani
- Mughlai Biryani
- Mutton Biryani
- Shrimp Biryani
- Fish Biryani
- Mushroom Biryani
- Vegetable Biryani
- Biryani Rice
- Chicken and Rice
Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
- 2.25 lb Chicken, cleaned and cut
- 1½ cup Basmati Rice, soaked for 1 hour
- ÂĽ cup Oil
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Star Anise
- 1 Javitri
- 4 Cardamom
- 4 Green Chili
- 2 Onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Tomato, chopped
- ÂĽ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Chili Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Biryani Masala
- 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- Salt, to taste
- ÂĽ cup Curd, yogurt
- ½ cup Mint Leaves
- 2ÂĽ cup Water
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- Fried Onions, to sprinkle
- Orange Food color, optional
Instructions
Making Chicken Biryani
- Begin by heating oil in your pressure cooker. Toss in bay leaf, cinnamon, star anise, javitri, cardamom, and green chili. Sauté them until you can smell their inviting aroma. This step releases essential oils from the spices, enhancing the overall flavor of your biryani.
- Add the thinly sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden and caramelized. This adds a deep, sweet flavor to your biryani, forming the base of your dish.
- Stir in turmeric, chili, coriander, biryani masala, garam masala, salt, and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté until the raw smell disappears.
- Add chopped tomatoes and half of the mint leaves. Sauté until the tomatoes turn mushy. This step adds a slightly tangy flavor, balancing the richness of the spices and chicken.
- Add the chicken pieces, ensuring they are thoroughly coated in the spicy masala for full flavor.
- Let the chicken simmer for about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then. You'll know it's time when the chicken starts releasing its juices.
- Mix the curd with the chicken gravy until well incorporated. Curd adds a creamy texture and tanginess to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Cook the chicken for another 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. It's ready when you see oil starting to form around the edges.
- Now, layer the soaked and drained basmati rice over the chicken gravy. Spread it out evenly for consistent cooking.
- Pour water along the sides of the rice, ensuring even distribution. The right amount of water is crucial for perfectly cooked, fluffy rice.
- Cook the rice until it's about 70% done - it should break when pressed between your fingers. Evenly pat down the rice. This ensures the rice will finish cooking perfectly during the final steaming.
- Sprinkle the remaining mint leaves, fried onions, and a drizzle of ghee over the rice. Optionally, add a hint of orange food color for visual appeal. Reduce the heat to low-medium.
- Seal the pressure cooker with its regulator on. Cook for approximately 15 minutes on low heat (don’t wait for the whistle since it's on low). This gentle cooking helps the flavors meld together while keeping the rice grains intact.
- Turn off the stove and let the biryani rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid. This resting period allows the steam to redistribute, ensuring evenly cooked rice and enhanced flavors.
- Gently fluff up the biryani with a fork, being careful not to break the rice grains. Your delicious Chicken Biryani is now ready to be savored and enjoyed!
Serving
- Enjoy the delightful Chicken Biryani paired with your choice of raita or a non-vegetarian curry. Whether you prefer a rich, gravy-based curry or a dry dish, these accompaniments perfectly complement the biryani's flavors.
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Recipe Video
Chef's Notes and Tips
- Select Quality Ingredients: Choose aged Basmati or Seeraga Samba rice for their authentic aroma and ideal, non-sticky texture. Also, invest in high-quality spices—they make all the difference!
- Ideal Rice-Water Ratio: For Basmati rice, a 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio is key for achieving perfectly cooked grains.
- Chicken Rice Ratio: Using equal parts of chicken and rice is a common standard when preparing chicken biryani. However, we prefer more chicken in our biryani. Here, I roughly used a 1:3 rice to chicken ratio. Feel free to adjust according to your taste preference.
- Chicken Cuts: Use a combination of chicken cuts—drumsticks, medium-sized bone-in pieces, boneless pieces, and wings—to enjoy a variety of textures and flavors in your biryani.
- Essential Soaking Step: Don’t overlook soaking the Basmati rice for at least an hour. This crucial step helps elongate the grains and enhances their texture.
- Build the Flavor Base: Take your time to properly caramelize onions until golden and cook tomatoes until they break down completely. These elements form a rich flavor foundation that is essential to a good biryani.
- Oil or Ghee Preference: Depending on your taste, use either oil for a lighter feel or ghee for a richer flavor. Each adds a distinct character to the biryani.
- Experiment with Rice Varieties: Consider using Seeraga Samba rice for a variation—it provides a softer texture and introduces a unique flavor twist to your biryani. This variety is especially popular in Southern India, like Tamil Nadu, where it's cherished for its distinctive aroma and taste.
- Resting Time: After cooking, let the biryani sit for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the steam to redistribute throughout the biryani, enhancing the flavors and ensuring the rice grains are perfectly fluffy.
- Master Traditional Techniques: While this one-pot version is sure to delight your taste buds, if you're seeking a truly authentic experience, consider trying my Mughlai Chicken Biryani recipe. It follows the traditional dum cooking method, offering a deeply flavorful and aromatic biryani that captures the essence of this age-old cooking method.
- Instant Pot Method: If you don't have a traditional pressure cooker or simply want to speed up the cooking process, be sure to check out the detailed Instant Pot instructions I provided below. This method offers a quick and convenient way to enjoy the rich flavors of Chicken Biryani without compromising on taste or quality.
Nutrition Info
Disclaimer
We're not nutrition experts, and the nutritional information provided is an estimate. Please use it as a guide. For precise details, it's best to consult a professional. To learn more, please view our Detailed Disclaimers.
Looking for more? Explore an array of aromatic rice dishes, flavorful biryanis, and an delicious selection of rice-based dishes from around the world. Our collection includes everything from classic favorites to new, exciting versions. It's sure to bring great flavors to meals with your friends and family.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this homemade Chicken Biryani, featuring soft, fluffy long-grain rice. It's simpler than restaurant-style Dum biryanis but equally delicious. Perfect on its own, it also pairs wonderfully with raita and various Indian chicken dishes. For an extra touch, serve with boiled eggs or Chicken 65 on the side.
Explore Ideal Chicken Pairings for this Biryani:
- Chicken Curry
- Chicken Korma
- Pepper Chicken
- Chicken Sukka
- Chicken Chettinad
- Chicken Pakora
- Chicken Masala
Chicken Biryani in Instant pot
Making Chicken Biryani in a pressure cooker is simpler than the traditional dum biryani method, and using an Instant Pot makes it even easier and quicker—it's ready in under 30 minutes! Let's see how to do it:
- Marinating Chicken (Optional): For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken in a mixture of chili, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and yogurt for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Saute Spices: To unlock the full aroma of the spices, use the sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Once the pot is hot, pour in oil and add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and other Indian spices until they become fragrant.
- Add Onions: Continue in sauté mode to cook the onions until they are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. This step adds a sweet undertone to the dish.
- Deglaze the Pot: This crucial step prevents burning and sticking. Add a small amount of water or broth to lift any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, ensuring they are incorporated into the flavor of the biryani.
- Cook Chicken with Herbs: After deglazing the pot, add the marinated chicken and a generous amount of fresh mint and coriander leaves. Stir and cook until the chicken just starts to release its juices.
- Add Rice: Now, stir in the basmati rice along with the suggested amount of water, ensuring the rice and chicken are well submerged. This ratio is vital for achieving the perfect biryani texture. At this point, taste the mixture and add more salt if needed.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the lid and set your Instant Pot to high pressure for exactly 4 minutes. This precise timing helps maintain the integrity of each ingredient.
- Quick Release the Pressure: Once the Instant Pot beeps, press the cancel button and quickly release the pressure. I have a steam release vent which can be pushed safely. For older models, make sure to release the pressure with caution using a cotton kitchen towel.
- Garnish and Serve: Once the pressure is completely released and the float valve is down, open the lid and gently fluff the biryani. Garnish with crispy fried onions and a spoonful of ghee for added texture contrast.
Enjoy this time-saving yet delicious Chicken Biryani, which offers a taste as authentic as the traditional version detailed in this post.
Vathana
This recipes looks fantastic. I want to try to make this, but only have an instant pot. When it says to cook rice until 70% done, approximately how long is that? How do you modify this recipe to make in the instant pot (especially how long to cook for the final step)?
Yellow Chili's
Hi Vathana,
Thanks for your time and visit to my blog. Sorry I couldn't respond early enough. But to answer to your questions, I have added a separate section(CHICKEN BIRYANI IN INSTANT POT) in this post to prepare the recipe in instant pot method and updated it. Pls do check out and let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks.
Vathana
Thank you for your reply and the modified recipe for the Instant Pot. I am going to try it out tonight.
Yellow Chili's
Sure, love to hear how it tuned out for you 🙂