Biryani is a layered mixed rice dish from South Asia, made with fragrant basmati rice, spices, and a main ingredient like marinated meat (chicken, mutton), seafood, or vegetables. It is slow-cooked using the dum method to blend the flavors, resulting in a rich, aromatic, and flavorful meal. 

 Key characteristics of biryani:

Origin: Biryani is believed to have been introduced to the Indian subcontinent by the Mughals, and the name originates from the Persian word “birian,” meaning “fried before cooking”. 

Layered dish: Unlike one-pot dishes like pulao, biryani is made by layering partially cooked rice with marinated meat or vegetables and spices. 

Flavorful and aromatic: It features a complex blend of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin, along with other ingredients like saffron, fried onions, and ghee. 

Slow-cooked: The dish is traditionally cooked on “dum” (steam), a slow-cooking method that allows the flavors to meld together perfectly. 

Varied ingredients: Common additions include eggs, nuts, and dried fruits. Different regions have developed unique variations, such as the Hyderabadi or Kolkata styles. 

This Chicken Biryani is a classic Hyderabadi-style recipe. Layered with tender marinated chicken, fragrant basmati rice, crispy onions, herbs and saffron milk. It’s cooked low and slow using the traditional dum method to lock in all the flavour. A proper crowd-pleaser and perfect for a weekend cook-up.

Ingredients

• 3 large red onions, sliced thin
• peanut oil for shallow frying
• 1 kg chicken thighs, bone in, skin off
• 4 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 green chillies
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 14 green cardamom pod
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 6 cloves
• salt to taste
• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch coriander
• 500g aged basmati rice
• ¼ cup of milk, warmed
• 1 large pinch of saffron threads

Dough seal (optional)

• 1 cup plain flour
• ⅓ cup of water (adjust as needed)

Directions

Fry the onions

1.Start by making the crispy onions by heating up enough oil in a saucepan over a medium high heat to shallow fry the sliced onions in batches until golden brown. Keep your eyes on them as it doesn’t take long for them to crisp up.

Marinate chicken

1.Next, marinate your chicken in a large pot (dutch oven) by adding the chicken, yoghurt, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, ginger paste, garlic, lemon juice, 1 green chilli sliced thin, 1 cinnamon stick, 8 green cardamom pods (lightly crushed), 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves, a tsp of salt, ½ of your chopped mint and ½ of the coriander, and ⅓ of the fried onions you just made.

2.Mix well so the spices are blended and the chicken is completely covered. Marinate for 4-24 hours in the fridge.

Prep the rice

1. Start this process about an hour before the chicken is ready to pull out of the fridge. So, if you’re marinating for four hours, start the rice at the 3 hour mark.
2. With the rice, rinse it twice then soak it in water for 40 minutes.

Make saffron milk

1. Add the warmed milk to a small bowl or jug and add in the saffron. Mix gently and set aside to steep. Optional – once your saffron milk is steeping, make the dough seal (recipe further down) and set it aside. You’ll use it later when assembling the biryani.
   

Cook the rice

1. Bring a large pot with a lid to boil (about half full with water) and season with 1 tbsp salt, 6 green cardamom, 1 green chilli sliced lengthways in half, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 1 tsp cumin seeds and bring to a simmer.
2. Drain your soaking rice and add to the simmering water. Turn the heat on your pot to high, stir once, put the lid on and cook for 4-6 minutes or until it’s just cooked. You still want a bit of bite in the rice.
3. Remove the rice from the water and set aside.

Cook chicken and layer your biryani

1. Place the marinated chicken that’s in the pot onto a high heat and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes.
2. Turn the heat off and remove half of the chicken with some of the sauce. This helps create two even layers when you add the rice and herbs. Spread the remaining chicken in the pot out evenly.
3. Then, sprinkle half of the rice on the chicken in the pot and make sure it’s nice and even.
4. Add the remaining chicken on top of the rice and add a layer of the crispy onions and half of the remaining chopped mint and coriander.
5. Repeat with the rice, crispy onions and the rest of the mint and coriander.
6. Drizzle the saffron milk all over the top.
7. Cover the pot with the lid and seal it either with a tea towel with it sitting slightly under the lid or the dough seal (steps below).
8. Turn your cooktop to medium high and cook for 10 minutes, then turn it down to very low and cook for 30 minutes.
9. Take from the heat and let it rest for 20 minutes before taking the lid off and serving. If you have any remaining herbs, you can sprinkle these over the top of the rice to serve.