This homemade biryani is layered with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and fragrant spices all in one pot, a delicious, comforting dish the family will love.
Chicken Biryani Recipe
Looking for a delicious, comforting Biryani Recipe that is loaded with warming spices, and that you can make at home? Here you go.
I've enjoyed many dishes of biryani from local Indian restaurants, but it's always so satisfying to make at home.
Biryani is essentially a spiced rice dish layered with meats or vegetables, though there are many types of biryani, with dozens of regional and personal variations. It truly is a diverse dish representing many cultures.
This version is one I prefer, similar to a Hyderabadi biryani, layered with flavored rice, marinated chicken, and aromatic saffron, all made in one pot.
If you've been afraid of making this dish at home because of the number of ingredients and steps, I've broken it all down to make it as easy as possible. It's a lot like my favorite local place.
Let's talk about how to make biryani, shall we?
Chicken Biryani Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE CHICKEN & MARINADE
- Plain Yogurt.
- Vegetables. Fresh garlic, fresh ginger, green chilies. Use serrano or other smaller hot chilies, or milder to your preference.
- Spices. Garam masala, paprika (or other red chili powder, like Kashmiri), turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, salt.
- Chicken. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or chicken breast.
- FOR THE RICE
- Whole Spices. Cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise. Plus salt. Bay leaf is nice, too.
- Basmati Rice.
- FOR THE CRISPY ONIONS
- Vegetable Oil.
- Onion.
- ADDITIONALS
- Saffron.
- Warm Milk. Or use water.
- Ghee. Or use butter.
- Chopped Cilantro. Or you can use a mix of cilantro and mint.
How to Make Biryani - the Recipe Method
NOTE: The full recipe steps are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a simple breakdown.
First you'll marinate the chicken in a mix of yogurt and warming spices. You can marinate for 2 hours, but you'll get much more flavor penetration if you marinate overnight.
Next, par boil the rice in water with the whole spices, just enough to soften the rice a bit, but not cook it all the way through. Drain the rice.
Meanwhile, lightly fry thinly sliced onions in oil over medium heat until they start to crisp up and turn golden brown, 10 minutes or so.
Bloom the saffron in warm milk or warm water a couple minutes.
Set it all aside and we can now make the biryani!
First, partially cook the marinated chicken (with the marinade) in a large pot, just a couple minutes per side.
Spread the partially cooked rice over the the top, then a layer of fried onions, then a bit of fresh chopped cilantro, then drizzle over the saffron mix.
Cover the pot and simmer the whole pot for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is done and the rice is nice and fluffy.
Boom! Done! Your biryani is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Serve it as a flavorful side dish, or make an extra batch and serve it as your main.
Sprinkle on lemon juice for a fresh touch of acidity!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- I prefer basmati rice for this, as it stands up nicely to the cooking process and always results in fluffy rice.
- Marinate the chicken overnight if you can for the most flavor development.
- Do not remove the lid from the pot while cooking in the final step, as you can affect the texture of the final dish.
Serving Biryani
Biryani is best served hot, so serve it to your guests right out of the pot. It pairs wonderfully with cooling elements.
Consider raita, a yogurt-based side with with vegetables and spices, a simple fresh salad, or roti.
You might also enjoy this tomato chutney or mango chutney, which add a tangy note to the meal.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover biryani will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can reheat it gently in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months, though freezing can affect the texture of the rice.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your chicken biryani. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN & MARINADE
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 2-3 green chilies chopped (use serrano or other smaller hot chilies, or milder to your preference)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon paprika or use other red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- Salt to taste
- 1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs .75kg
FOR THE RICE
- 1 small stick cinnamon
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice rinsed
FOR THE CRISPY ONIONS
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
ADDITIONALS
- 2 pinches saffron strands optional
- 1/4 cup warm milk or use water
- 1/4 cup ghee or butter melted
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or use a mix of cilantro and mint
Instructions
- MARINATE THE CHICKEN. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, chilies, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt until well combined.
- Add the chicken and mix well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
- PAR COOK THE RICE. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, star anise, salt and basmati rice. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to par cook the rice. It should be a bit soft, but not cooked all the way through.
- Drain and set aside. (NOTE: You can pick out the cinnamon stick and pods, or just leave them in.)
- Heat the oil in a large pot to medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and starting to crisp up. Do not burn.
- Remove the onions and set aside. Keep pot over medium heat.
FOR THE BIRYANI
- Add the marinated chicken with marinade to the same heated pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side to partially cook the chicken.
- While chicken is cooking, soak the saffron in warm milk or water to bloom.
- Spread the parcooked rice over the chicken. Add half of the fried onions, then cilantro.
- Drizzle the saffron mix and melted butter over the top. Do not mix.
- Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Fluff (or mix it all up if you’d like) and serve with remaining crispy onions on top.
Notes
- Goes great with raita, salad, yogurt, roti.
- You can chop the chicken or cook them whole in the pot, depending on how you want to serve it.
Nutrition Information
Jeri says
Just made this and it was delicious. Must be getting wimpy in my old age because it was just the right heat. Skipped the saffron step because I couldn’t find my saffron but will definitely make it again with the saffron.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Jeri!
Claire says
I know I'm late, but this is very close to the Hyderabadi biryani I remember having as a kid of South Indian origin. I can't imagine an easier, authentic recipe.
Thank you!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Claire - enjoy!
Elizabeth says
I made this the other day and it was amazing. Thanks for sharing your recipes
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Charles Pascual says
I made this with chicken breasts 'cause that what I had & cut them into cubes. I didn't cook it at a low enough temp and the chicken turned out a bit overcooked and dry, which is easy to do with breasts (I struggle with "low" on my cooktop - the "low" setting doesn't cook anything so it's a juggling act). But apart from my operator error, the flavors were comparable to biryani I've had in restaurants. The recipe is straight-forward and easily do-able, I followed it as written. Need to work on my temp control the next time. Thanks, Mike.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Charles. Yes, each oven introduces a new variable with cooking! Glad you liked the resulting flavors. We really love this dish.
Diana says
I used ground cardamom because that's what I have. (Had to Google the ratio from pod to ground, of course.) Same thing with the cloves. I skipped the anise because I have waaaaay too many spices that I only use once a year, so I didn't want to buy it.
Other than that, I used recipe as written. It was delicious.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Diana! We really LOVE his dish. YUM!
Yris du Plessis says
Hi Mike is this correct?
1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs.75kg
Mike H. says
Hi Yris, yes - 3/4 kg.
Bill says
A serious question, Mike: I have frequently seen recipes calling for X number of cardamom pods. I have typically removed the seed from the pods and just cooked with them. Is there an advantage to leaving the seeds in the pods? Do the pods add flavor?
Thanks.
Bill
Mike H. says
Hi, Bill. Whether to leave the seeds in the pods or remove them depends on the specific requirements of your recipe and the desired flavor intensity. Leaving the seeds in the pods is excellent for controlled flavor infusion in long-cooked dishes. Removing and grinding the seeds offers a more intense and immediate flavor, perfect for quick-cooking recipes or baking. So you can tailor it to your preference really.