Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours. Make this Chicken Biryani with your protein of choice – or try a vegetable biryani!
Biryani recipe
One of the most requested recipes is finally here! Another RecipeTin Family effort, it took us seven attempts to get this biryani right.
Seven attempts means seven heated arguments about who would take the leftover biryani because somebody in the RecipeTin family, at any point in time, usually declares themselves to be on a diet to address blog-related weight gain concerns.
And it was worth it. (Belly and all.) Biryani, we can’t get enough of you!
What is Biryani and why do I love it so much?
Essentially, it’s your favourite chicken curry (or vegetable or other protein of choice) buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath.
So in a nutshell, it’s every curry loving-carb monsters’ dream come true. It’s got my name written all over it!
About this Biryani
You’ll find variations of Biryani all across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Bangladesh, Afghanistan to India. There are 2 main types – one where the protein and/or vegetables are cooked mixed throughout the rice, and the other version known as Hyderabad-style biryani in India where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire. The latter is the style of biryani I’m sharing today.
There’s a wonderful Afghani restaurant in my area called Sahar (Newport, Sydney) which serves a Biryani that’s a huge favourite among locals. Hands down, the best ethnic restaurant I know in the upper northern beaches.
How to make Biryani
Chicken marinated in a spiced yoghurt is placed in a large pot, then layered with fried onions (cheeky easy sub below!), fresh coriander/cilantro, then par boiled lightly spiced rice.
The crowning glory is to finish it off with a drizzle of saffron infused water to give it the signature patches of bright yellow rice, as well as ghee (or melted butter) for buttery richness.
The pot is then covered and cooked over a low heat for about 25 minutes during which time the rice absorbs the aromas and flavours of the curry underneath, whilst still being beautifully fluffy.
That moment when you lift the lid and are greeted with this sight…
…. that moment is only second to this: when you dig deep into the pot, ensuring you get some of every layer, and the full force of the aroma from the curry buried deep under the rice hits you, and it takes every single bit of will power to gravitate that spoon towards a bowl instead of attempting to shove that entire giant scoop in your mouth….
OK wait. Did you almost lose control too?
I’m almost done. Bear with me – just want to show you a few more things before handing over the recipe!
Biryani spices
There’s subtle flavourings used for the rice, and a load more used for the curry sauce.
There’s a lengthy list but there’s nothing exotic here, you can find all these spices at everyday supermarkets here in Australia. Some recipes call for Asafoetida which is an Indian spice that requires a trip to an Indian grocer. We tried it with and without, and I swear we could not taste a difference. So we don’t use it. 🙂
Cheeky substitute for fried onions
Thin slices of onion fried until sweet and a bit crispy, this is used as one of the layers in the Biryani as well as a garnish for serving.
If you aren’t a fan of deep frying or are a beginner cook, my cheeky alternative is using store bought fried onion (Asian or Indian stores) or Asian Fried Shallots (pictured below) which are sold at everyday supermarkets. They add the same oniony flavour with the added bonus of extra crunch!
The roots of this recipe
Another recipe ticked off the Recipe Request list, another RecipeTin family effort!!
As always, we love to look to the pros to build a starting point for recipe inspiration. We ate biryani at our favourite specialty restaurants in Sydney, Pakistani chain Student Biryani in Auburn, and the Indian restaurant Paradise Biryani House in North Strathfield.
To learn the techniques, we looked at a few books (love the local library!), dozens of internet pages and Youtube videos from home cooks in India.
Yes the ingredients list is long – but you’ll find everything at the supermarket. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, it is actually quite a straightforward recipe. (Video is helpful too!)
And even if yours doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t be put off because even less than perfect biryani is still delicious (we happily scoffed the first few test batches despite the flaws!). – Nagi x
More great curries of the world!
Dal (Indian lentil curry)
Browse the Curry Collection
And serve on the side …
Give this Everyday Cabbage Salad an Indian spin by sauteing garlic and cumin seeds in oil before mixing up with other Dressing ingredients
No Yeast Easy Soft Flatbread. Perfect to use as naan!
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
- 750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1)
Marinade:
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil)
- 6 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2)
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp paprika , sweet / ordinary (not smoked)
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
Par Boiled Rice:
- 2 tbsp salt
- 10 cloves
- 5 dried bay leaves
- 1 star anise
- 6 green cardamon pods
- 2 1/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3)
Crispy Onions (Note 4):
- 2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced
- 1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying
Saffron:
- 1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5)
- 2 tbsp warm water
Biryani:
- 1 cup coriander / cilantro , chopped
- 1/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6)
Garnish:
- Crispy onions (above)
- Chopped coriander / cilantro
- Yoghurt (Note 7)
Instructions
- Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm / 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight.
Par Boiled Rice:
- Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.
- Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.
- Drain immediately. Set aside. (Note 10 re: leaving whole spices in)
Crispy Onions:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t burn – they become bitter.
- Remove onto paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.
Saffron:
- Place in a bowl, leave for 10 minutes+.
Biryani:
- Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turning chicken twice.
- Remove from heat.
- Turn chicken so skin side is down – it should cover most of the base of the pot.
- Scatter over half the onion then half the coriander.
- Top with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface.
- Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over ghee.
- Place lid on. Return to stove over medium heat.
- As soon as you see steam, turn down to low then cook for 25 minutes.
- Remove from stove, rest with lid on for 10 minutes.
To Serve:
- Aim to serve it so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop.
- Turn out into bowl – or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghurt on the side (see Note 7 for Minted Yoghurt)
Recipe Notes:
* Scaling recipe (click on servings and scale) – must scale pot size up/down
* Salt – yes you really need 2 tbsp salt to par boil the rice. The rice will taste salty at this stage but the salt comes out of the rice during the second stage of cooking. Trust me, you need that much salt in the water!
* Spiciness is mainly from cayenne, a bit from garam masala. So adjust to taste.
* Fresh spices – use fresh spices, not ones that have been sitting around in your pantry for years!
* Whole spices – the whole spices are typically left in the rice. They soften when cooked so to me it’s not a big deal, I’ve never found it off-putting. If you’re really concerned, either pick them out just before layering in the pot or wrap the spices in a small muslin or cheesecloth. 11. Storage – Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave. As rice is not quite as moist with leftovers, best to serve with yoghurt (even plain is fine). Even freezing should be fine, haven’t tried it but rice and curry both freeze great so I see no reason why this wouldn’t freeze well. Make Ahead – These are the things that can be done ahead: Par Boil the rice up up to 24 hours ahead of using. Marinate the chicken and cook it per recipe up to the point before rice covers it up to 2 days ahead. OR leave the marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 48 hours. Make saffron water and onion. Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook per recipe!
Life of Dozer
This is how he spent most of today. (And yesterday. And the day before.)
My thighs have a V shape bone and I’ve no idea how I’m supposed to half them with only bone in one side, so that both pieces have skin on?which makes me feel like I’m missing something obvious?
Hi Sara, do they have the drumstick? Are they Marylands? N x
Hi Nagi, they are definitely thighs, not Maryland’s. I just brute force removed one of the bones and continued as this recipe had me salivating!
They worked well and the recipe was delicious, a winner in our house!
Thanks 😊
I just made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! Thank you so much for the excellent recipe and covering each step in so much detail. Absolutely delicious! Love your website…it’s become a fast favourite!
Hi, I really enjoyed the butter chicken recipe. Thank you.
Can I use the ginger garlic paste instead of the fresh ingredients?
Hi Diaa, I find the paste has a slightly bitter sour edge unfortunately – I only use this in emergencies! N x
Trying this tonight. Any substitute for Saffron?
Hi Kerry, not really for this one, it’s a key ingredient! N x
I made this with the chicken and we loved it. Tonight I am making it with beef. I’ve adjusted the cooking time for the protein! Thank you my husband loved this recipe!
Perfect Julie!! N x
I’ve always been scared to make biryani but decided to give it a go, especially using your detailed recipe with additional notes. It turned out perfect and was a hit in my household. My Sri Lankan husband loved it. This recipe is a keeper, thank you Nagi.
That’s such a great compliment, thanks so much Carol! N x
Hi Nagi do we wash the rice or do we just put the rice when parboiling it?
Hi Edwin, I don’t wash my rice – just as per the recipe 🙂 N x
so I had ZERO idea what this was supposed to taste like. But I do cook Indian when i have time, the only spices i needed to buy were cardamom pods and star anise. Those little pods are SPENDY!! LOL- and no anise to be found, I did purchase the anise extract and put a few drops in the rice water. I will say were are a “saucy” bunch- meaning we like liquids and sauces…this seemed to me to be quite dry- is this the way it is supposed to be??? Flavors were amazing!! Hubs measured the saffron, not sure how he did it but i had LOTS more red strings on my rice than pictured, and assuming he might have “mashed” the strings into my teaspoon to measure- I thought that was VERY overwhelming and likely our error! Since I never had this dish, my concern was i did something wrong as it was so dry-ish. Also wish i would have had mint on hand to make the accompaniment suggested yogurt. I will make this again, but maybe measure the saffron myself next time!!
Hi Jodi, sorry you had issues here – it’s not supposed to be overly saucy, more a dry dish (I do like the yogurt here to break it up a little). Sounds like you may of used slightly too much saffron if it looked significantly different to the photos 🙂 N x
Nagi, you are an amazing cook and I thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe. You are so generous in giving out your recipe. I tried it and it came out so good. With times, I will certainly get it perfect.
Happy cooking always and stay blessed🥰
Thanks so much Eileen! N x
I just made this Recipe today for Easter and I couldn’t believe how perfect it came out knowing that I had made it 🙈 Even before I could dig in, the whole house was filled with Biryani aroma and I knew it was going to be a good meal 😍
Nagi, your recipes are hand down the best dishes I’ve managed to make 🙌🏻
YUM! Sounds like you nailed it Carol! N x
Hi Nagi, I just want to say thank you for your lovely recipes! And especially thank you for always including a vegetarian option wherever possible. I am a vegetarian and just love your recipes, they always work out well. I also have to be Gluten and dairy free and really appreciate your substitutes for those items, which you so often put in your Notes. Wishing you & your family & Dozer a Happy Easter, and stay safe and healthy! Xx
You’re so welcome Elaine, thank you so much ❤️
I love Indian food, but my family have favorites that I make over and over (butter chicken, dhal, lamb curry). We’ve never had or made Briyani, so I made it a couple weeks ago and it’s now a staple! I have chicken marinating in my fridge right now, so this will be dinner again tonight. My husband, my kids and I all eat differently, but this is one dish we all agree on because it’s soooooo delicious! Can’t wait for dinner!!!
Awesome Seana, I’m so glad you gave it a shot and love it! N x
So delicious! My whole family loved this dish!
Hi Nagi. Can i use dried coriander instead of fresh to make biryani? If i can, how much dried coriander do i use for 1 cup of fresh? Thanks
mam/sir, you have explained nicely, i would like to bookmark your site..ill try this now. thnx
I hope you love it Reena! N x
Hi! I’m so tempted to make this but I only have parboiled rice in the house. Is this ok to use if I skip the boiling part x
yes definitely Soraya! Enjoy! N x
This was so good! Thankyou x
Hi Nagi, I’ve made this a couple of times and it’s delicious. Just wondered if you could freeze it?
Satisfied!!! Amazing recipe and website. Thank you
I cook this often , I like it better with lamb which I marinate over night same recipe as yours but no water. the chicken biryani is also good ..I mix my own spices and keep them in a sealed jar . they last a long time . we are under lockdown here in Spain at the moment , cant get a flight to Canada and home right now .
stay safe out there.
marg
Hey Nagi
Love your site!
Qu: if I double the quantity do I simply double the cooking time?
Thanks xx