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Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, How to make Chicken Biryani Recipe | Chicken Biryani

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Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani Recipe with step by step pictures.  An authentic hyderabadi biryani recipe from my mom with step by step photos. My moms friend had taught her to make this awesome dish. Since my childhood I have been eating this and I still love to binge on it. I had asked my mom to make this lovely recipe on her birthday. So that I can share this big secret and wonderful recipe with all of you! 🙂

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, How to make Chicken Biryani Recipe | Chicken Biryani

What matters is the aroma, taste and how the biryani tastes and is presented. This Biryani is quite rich and has an awesome taste. I just love the boiled potatoes mixed with the spices of biryani. I avoid eating rice however if it is biryani I never resist myself from eating.

Making biryani is a cumbersome task. As it requires a lot of effort and time to make a lovely Biryani. But you know what once you taste the biryani all your efforts will be worth it!. Biryani blends well with a dahi raita Or salad. There is no need of making any thing more. Biryani itself is divine and filling.

You can also make a mushrooms, paneer or any vegetable biryani with the same instructions. Just replace meat or chicken with veggies. Your vegetable Biryani will be ready. Vegans can add tofu instead of paneer.

Lemme take you to the recipe of Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani quickly as it is a long process to explain! But not that long as you think 🙂

Learn how to make step by step Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani Recipe:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste for about 1 hour. Keep it aside. in the meanwhile we will make rice.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

2. First take a big wok or vessel. Add water with few spices ( 1 bayleaf, 2 inch Cinnamon stick, 3 green Cardamom, 1 Mace, 4 Cloves, 4 to 5 Pepper corn). Boil the water with all these garam masala. Take water as required to make the basmati rice.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

3. Please note you just have to par boil the rice (half cook). Don’t cook the rice completely. Remove from fire once the rice is half cooked. Strain the water and keep the rice aside.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

4. For Garnishing: Take some oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion till dark brown and crispy. Chop coriander leaves and keep it aside.

5. Grind Mint Leaves, Green Chilies and Coriander leaves in the processor. Add little water if required. Keep this green paste aside.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

6. Please keep the gas flame on low mode. Now take a big wok or vessel. Add ghee to it.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

7. Saute 3 Bay leaves, shahi jeera, rest of cloves, pepper corn, cinnamon and green cardamom.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

8. After about 2 mins add chopped Onion to it. Fry them until they are dark brown in color but on low flame.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

9. Now add ginger garlic paste to it. Stir for some time.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

10. Add the green paste as well. Stir for a minute more. Now add biryani garam masala, coriander seed powder, turmeric, red chili powder. Combine all of them well. It is time to add tomatoes and few coriander leaves. Saute tomatoes for 1 more minute.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

11. Add yogurt and combine all of them well. Let it cook for a minute.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

12. Put potatoes to them. Let it again cook for a minute more.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

13. Finally add marinated chicken along with all yogurt. Let it cook for about 5 mins. Please don’t boil the chicken completely. Just half cook the chicken. Switch off the gas.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

14. Now we will arrange layers for the biryani. Take another big vessel. Now add half of the above chicken gravy to it.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

15. Gently spread half of the par boiled rice to it. Sprinkle some saffron mixed with warm milk Or if using food color to the rice along with some ghee on it.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

16. Now again spread the rest of chicken gray on the rice.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

17. Finally spread the rest of par boiled rice on it. Again top the rice with ghee and rest of saffron mixed with warm milk or food color.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

18. Place it on low heat. Keep a large heavy bottomed tava or pan on the gas. Now place the stacked layers of biryani vessel on the heavy bottomed pan . Now cover with a lid. Also you could cover with dough covering the edges of the vessel. But We have chosen to cover with a lid and than placing a grinding stone on it. If you don’t have a grinding stone you could place any heavy object which is fire proof on the lid. This process is important to give dum (pressure) to the biryani. Alternatively you could seal the vessel and lid with dough over all the edges and cook on slow heat.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

19. Roughly about 20 -25 mins your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani is ready. Switch off the gas and keep it on low mode for the entire process of making Biryani. Serve hot with salad or raita.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

20. Garnish your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani with fried onion and coriander leaves and serve hot.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani recipe card below:

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
Recipe Type: Chicken Recipe, meals
Cuisine: Indian Cuisine
Author: Maria@flavorsofmumbai.com
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 7 servings
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani one of my favorite recipe.
Ingredients
  • [b]for chicken biryani:[/b]
  • 500 gms basmati rice
  • 500 gms onion chopped
  • 250 gms tomatoes chopped
  • 200 gms potatoes chopped
  • 250 gms yogurt
  • 4 tejpata leaves (bay leaf)
  • 7 to 8 cloves
  • 6 to 7 sweet spice
  • 4 to 5 green cardamom
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 mace (javitri)
  • 12 to 14 pepper corn (kalimiri)
  • 1 tbsp shahi jeera
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp shaan biryani masala
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tbsp coriander seed powder
  • 1 cup of mint leaves
  • 1 cup of coriander leaves
  • 3 green chilies
  • 1 t/s turmeric powder
  • 4 tbsp ghee or oil
  • 2 strands of saffron mixed with warm milk or 1 tbsp food color
  • salt as per taste
  • [b]for marination:[/b]
  • 500 gms chicken
  • 4 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • salt as per taste
  • [b]for cooking parboiled rice:[/b]
  • 250 gm basmati Rice
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 5-6 peppercorn
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 1-2 mace blades
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1000 ltr of water or as required
  • [b]for garnishing:[/b]
  • 1 cup of fried onion julienne
  • some chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
  1. Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste for about 1 hour. Keep it aside. in the meanwhile we will make rice.
  2. First take a big wok or vessel. Add water with few spices bayleaf, 2 inch Cinnamon stick, 3 green Cardamom, 1 Mace, 4 Cloves, 4 to 5 Pepper corn). Boil the water with all these garam masala. Take water as required to make the basmati rice.
  3. Please note you just have to par boil the rice (half cook). Don’t cook the rice completely. Remove from fire once the rice is half cooked.
  4. Strain the water and keep the rice aside.
  5. For Garnishing: Take some oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion till dark brown and crispy. Chop coriander leaves and keep it aside.
  6. Grind Mint Leaves, chilies and coriander leaves in the processor.
  7. Add water if required. Keep this green paste aside.
  8. Please keep the gas flame on low mode. Now take a big wok or vessel.
  9. Add ghee to it.
  10. Saute 3 Bay leaves, shahi jeera, rest of cloves, pepper corn, cinnamon and green cardamom.
  11. After about 2 mins add chopped Onion to it. Fry them until they are dark brown in color but on low flame.
  12. Now add ginger garlic paste to it. Stir for some time.
  13. Add the green paste as well. Stir for a minute more. Now add shaan biryani garam masala, coriander seed powder, turmeric, red chili powder. Combine all of them well. It is time to add tomatoes and few coriander leaves.
  14. Saute tomatoes for 1 more minute.
  15. Add yogurt and combine all of them well. Let it cook for a minute.
  16. Put potatoes to them. Let it again cook for a minute more.
  17. Finally add marinated chicken along with all yogurt. Let it cook for about 5 mins. Please don’t boil the chicken completely. Just half cook the chicken. Switch off the gas.
  18. Now we will arrange layers for the biryani. Take another big vessel.
  19. Now add half of the above chicken gravy to it.
  20. Gently spread half of the par boiled rice to it. Sprinkle some saffron mixed with warm milk Or if using food color to the rice along with some ghee on it.
  21. Now again spread the rest of chicken gray on the rice.
  22. Finally spread the rest of par boiled rice on it. Again top the rice with ghee and rest of saffron mixed with warm milk or food color.
  23. Place it on low heat. Keep a large heavy bottomed tava or pan on the gas. Now place the stacked layers of biryani vessel on the heavy bottomed pan .
  24. Now cover with a lid. Also you could cover with dough covering the edges of the vessel. But We have chosen to cover with a lid and than placing a grinding stone on it. If you don’t have a grinding stone you could place any heavy object which is fire proof on the lid. This process is important to give dum (pressure) to the biryani.
  25. Roughly about 20 -25 mins your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani is ready.
  26. Switch off the gas and keep it on low mode for the entire process of making Biryani. Serve hot with salad or raita.
  27. Garnish your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani with fried onion and coriander leaves.
Notes
1. In the entire process of cooking Biryani keep your gas flame on low mode.[br]2. You could add roasted cashews for garnishing or you can add them in the gravy as well.[br]3. If you don’t wish to add food color than you can use turmeric or use saffron mixed in milk to sprinkle them on the rice.[br]4. Don’t cook in haste. Follow the entire process slowly and steadily because its worth it.

Comments

  1. My girlfriend tried this and helped her in making this for a potluck party just awesome biryani great job thanks for sharing this regards from Canada.

    Reply

    • Firstly a big thankyou for trying so many recipes 🙂 and glad your folks liked this biryani recipe it’s my mother’s recipe. You are always welcome 🙂

      Reply

  2. Loved this biryani it was really very tasty every bit was truly great thankyou to your mom for sharing this recipe

    Reply

  3. My mom loved this biryani and is just like a restaurant style biryani had made on her birthday. thanks so much she loved it so the guests would try more recipes from your blog could u post murg mussalllam recipes pls.

    Reply

    • Quite pleased to know this zaida thankyou so much for your kind words and glad your mom liked this biryani as she must be a chef hrself. I have taken yourr request for murgh mussallam recipe on our file thanks.

      Reply

  4. I am a silent follower keep trying recipes but this dish is outstanding had made for a potluck party and was appreciated thanks for your blog and great recipes. Keep up the good work and god bless u.

    Reply

    • Now that you stated you are no more a silent follower 😉 thankyou so much glad your guests liked the biryani recipe. God bless you too.

      Reply

  6. what an amazing biryani loved every bit of it my guests and my family liked the biryani a lot thankyou so much for sharing this it’s just perfect 🙂

    Reply

  8. Very well explained in detail. Thanks for sharing this article. I read the steps at this site as well but you have explained it in very great manner.

    I shall prepare it this weekend 😉

    Reply

  10. Ur recipe is awesome yaar… U just rock..
    I try all ur recipes and they all come out well…
    U describe it so well that anyone can easily cook it…
    Thanks fr sharing such great recipes…
    Keep rocking…

    Reply

    • Prachee you made my day with your comments. Thankyou so much for trying the chicken biryani pleased to know you loved them 🙂 you are always welcome.

      Reply

    • welcome I am pleased to know you and your family loved the chicken biryani recipe 🙂 thanks for trying it and also thankyou for the 5 star rating.

      Reply

  12. Hello Maria thnx for sharing your recipe…Just have a question is it necessary to add the green paste you have mentioned above?

    Reply

    • Mohana that’s important for the Biryani for the authentic flavor and taste of hyderabadi biryani. You could skip adding potatoes that’s optional.

      Reply

  14. If you ask me what I like most then I will gladly say, I like all of your website. Two of my most favorite are Afghani Recipe site and second one is yours. Thanks to that talented cook who are working behind the page to post such information.

    Reply

  15. Hi Maria, thank you for this recipe. It’s one of the best Biryani recipes out there and very easy to follow. I tried my hand at it and it turned out delicious. My husband enjoyed the Biryani. Will be making it for some friends too.

    Reply

    • Thankyou Jolene for trying the chicken biryani and for your kind words. I am pleased to know your hubby enjoyed it 🙂 surely make again and you are welcome 🙂

      Reply

  16. Hiii mariya, i m an engineering student and i realy like chicken biryani. I cooked it as ur recipe. Its yummy. Thanx a lot…

    Reply

  17. wow! great recipe. one of my favorites Going to give this a go. Thanks for sharing this.

    Simon

    Reply

  18. Hi Maria Thank you for sharing the wonderful recipe.
    One question….What can I substitute curd/yogurt for marination as but hubby is allergic to it?

    Reply

  20. Thanks a ton for the recipe. The biryani turned out amazing! I made it for my parent’s wedding anniversary and we felt like we had ordered the biryani from some hotel 🙂

    Reply

    • Eric I am pleased to know this and also very happy. I am glad your chicken biryani turned out amazing and hotel type would convey to my mom as it’s her recipe 🙂

      Reply

  21. When I start speaking about the dish Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani most of the non-vegetarians mouth starts watering ,When they look at the recipe they like to cook ,while cooking they will dreamt how to eat in enjoyable and rememberable manner, with that wonderful fragrance of the dish,moment the people will land up in a place which they feel as it is a heaven .

    Reply

  22. Today is my hubby’s birthday…. n am gonna make ur Chicken Dum Biryani today….ur images will help me a lot in preparing it…hope it tastes well n properly cooked….thanks a lot dear…hope to c u soon…tkcr…

    Reply

  25. Such a wonderful post on making this delicious chicken biryani recipe , I really like the way you presented the procedures and by adding images in to it, that’s nice. Good Job. 🙂 were looking forward for more delicious recipe procedures from you. Just keep on posting. Thanks . 🙂 Cheers !

    Reply

    • Zita while you add tomatoes you add the biryani garam masala have mentioned in the recipe instruction. You could use everest brand or any brand of biryani garam masala or masala used for biryani. Hope this helps you.

      Reply

  30. Hi Maria. I tried your recipe yesterday. It was osum as well as it is the simplier way of doing tasty biryani. My husband liked the aroma as well as the taste. This was the first time I did hyderbadi biryani to impress him. Thanks for you help . I just have to share that biryani was not cooked in 20min. I again kept it for 20 more min by covering the lid with dough. This was the only change I did in it……. Thanks a lot for ur recipe

    Reply

    • Thanks Bhavani for sharing your views which most of them don’t do…..Great hope your hubby was impressed nice to know the modification take care… have fun and keep cooking…. love, Maria

      Reply

  31. Congratulations! We wanted to inform you that this post has been selected as a Featured Archive Post on our site for the first two weeks of April 2013.

    Reply

  32. Hi Maria;
    I like to try your recipe because it looks really good; I have one question for you, in your recipe what do you mean by “Sweet Spice” is it star anais? please let me know ; I need to try this.

    Reply

    • Nayana sweet spice is also known as sweet spice its similar to black pepper but it’s got a small thorn like pricking out. Hope this helps you !

      Reply

  33. Hi Maria,

    Will mutton work the same way as above… I guess it requires an overnight Marination right..

    Savio

    Reply

  35. Yes Better as I have to be on my feet, since festive season is around the corner, felt nice that u remember, wish I could call you, please visit calcutta and it would be my pleasure to assist you and treat you at my house with your recipes for sure, Oh? Zafrani Biryani, already mouth is watering, plz share the recipe but with photos are a must…………..

    Take Care
    Sunita

    Reply

    • Thanks Sunita surely when I come to Calcutta will see you 🙂 ………… it turned out damn tasty will post the next time I make them. Take care 🙂

      Reply

  36. Hi Maria

    Yesterday my hubby was in the mood to have home made biryani and I was like GULP?, then i took your recipe and got all the ingredients in hand and along with tension and patience, made, conquered and most of all, it was loved by everybody in the house and specially my hubby, was very happy, I replaced chicken with egg masala, omitted tomatoes and the rest was the same. I wanted that distant flavour of Biryani,, which I got and thanks to you and I made Dry Chicken Curry and salad. has my lunch at 03 in the afternoon relishing this recipe.

    Thanks so much Maria
    Take Care
    Sunita

    Reply

    • Great Sunita you should have called me for lunch I don’t mind waiting till 3.00 p.m. 😉 …. today I felt like making Veg Zaffrani Biryani for my hubby. I haven’t taken any pics as I don’t have time right now will check how’s the taste and will post it later. You take care hope your knees are fine now.

      Reply

    • Samir it works for that you gotto try home! Also biryani is an art it takes sometime to master an art to make Biryani. So try making in lesser quantities. All the best!

      Reply

    • Hey Reefa,

      Many Happy Returns of the Day in advance friday is 16th March….. Lemme give you some small and handy tips which are of great use. Firstly collect all ingredients you need for biryani. Cut onion a night before and keep in the fridge covered else your fridge will smell of onion. This will reduce your effort the next day. Follow the instructions as given in the post. Don’t panic calm down and check the potatoes if they are cooked your chicken also must have cooked. If spices are less add more if required. You will surely do well this time….. Good Luck.

      Love,
      Maria

      Reply

  41. no its ok…no need 2 b sry….actly d day i asqd u…. dat day itself i was in the procedure of cooking biryani..but unfortunately i was not knowing the exact tym for cooking so i kept only for 1 hour..n guess what?my 4kg biryani got spoilt bcoz of semi cooking..but it was my mistake..u know lack of knowledge..!!par kya kar sakte hai beet gai so baat gai..nxt tym b4 cukng i wil asq u d exact tym ….kya pataa agli baar quantity aur badh jaein..

    Reply

    • I am feeling bad about it (: ……………. no worries Reefa we all learn by our mistake. I am sure you will be a great cook with great knowledge. You will master the art soon :)……..take care and best of luck 😉

      Reply

  42. hey maria,i badly need ur help i made biryani wid 1 n hlf kg chicken..but it did not got done in 30 mins so i should extend the tym with the quantity and also tell how much tym it requires for biryani wid 1 n hlf kg chicken n 1 n hlf kg rice..plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz help……………:(

    Reply

    • Hi Reefa,

      Firstly I am sorry for the delay in reply. I was out this weekend so couldn’t help you out. If the chicken is not cooked please cook until it’s tender and cooked. For the quantity just double up as mentioned in the ingredients. For 1.5 kg chicken and rice it should take about 2 and half to 3 hours for overall biryani cooking from start to end. Hope this helps you though it’s too late for you.

      Love,
      Maria

      Reply

    • Hi Prashant would not recommend you to use a cooker as the layers of biryani would get all mixed up and might get soggy!

      Reply

  46. hi there
    gr8 recipes around and i would like to know that after the second layering you have suggested to put offf the gas but not told suggested when to on the gas again. if u kindly let me know then i want to make this
    thanks in advance

    Reply

  49. Hi Maria,

    Your recipes are just mouth watering. I also wanted to know if we had to follow the same method for mutton biryani. Please guide me as my husband loves mutton biryani more than the chicken.

    Reply

    • Hi Janet,

      Firstly thanks for stopping by and your lovely views. Yeah you could follow the same method for Mutton too. Let me know how were they?

      Love,
      Maria

      Reply

      • Hey Maria,

        Yesterday i bought some crabs and made the Mummy’s special crab curry which turned out yummy thanks a ton for the recipes keep posting some more 🙂

        Reply

        • Hey Janet,

          Great to know the crab curry came out well you are always welcome Janet. Yeah Janet I will keep posting yummy recipes all the time as I am mad about cooking :)….Thanks again.

          Love,
          Maria

          Reply

    • Hey Trisha,

      You are welcome I checked the post of Chicken Biryani on your blog. Your blog is also nice and thanks for your lovely views. Keep making this Chicken Biryani its my moms secret and my favorite Biryani. Also I am glad you loved it.

      Love,
      Maria

      Reply

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