Description
Hyderabadi chicken biryani brings royal Mughlai flavors to dinner tables with aromatic spices and tender marinated chicken. Layers of fragrant basmati rice and succulent meat create a legendary dish that transports diners straight to Indian culinary traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1.5 pounds chicken with bone, cut and cleaned
- 0.67 cups plain yogurt
Spices and Seasonings
- 1.5 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 chili pepper (jalapeno, serrano, or cayenne)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon shah jeera (caraway seeds)
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
Rice and Garnish
- 2 cups basmati rice (long grain)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 0.25 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon saffron, ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.5 cinnamon stick
Fried Onions
- 0.75 pounds onions, thinly sliced
- 1.5 cups cooking oil (high smoke point, like peanut oil)
Instructions
- Meticulously rinse rice grains under cold running water until the liquid becomes transparent, ensuring all excess starch is removed.
- Submerge the rice in fresh water and allow it to rest, permitting the grains to absorb moisture and soften for optimal texture.
- Prepare a fragrant liquid base by combining water, salt, culinary oil, and aromatic whole spices in your chosen cooking vessel.
- Carefully introduce rice grains into the boiling liquid, maintaining a gentle but consistent heat to prevent scorching.
- Monitor the cooking process, allowing rice to absorb the seasoned liquid until each grain transforms into a fluffy, tender morsel.
- Once rice reaches perfect consistency, immediately transfer to a separate container, preventing overcooking or clumping.
- Layer the cooked rice strategically with marinated chicken, creating alternating strata of protein and grain.
- Select your preferred cooking method – rice cooker, stovetop, oven, or traditional pot – ensuring consistent, gentle heat distribution.
- Cover the cooking vessel tightly, trapping steam and allowing flavors to meld and intensify during the slow-cooking process.
- Periodically check the biryani, ensuring no burning occurs and moisture remains balanced throughout cooking.
- After cooking duration concludes, let the biryani rest momentarily, allowing residual steam to complete the final flavor infusion.
- Gently fluff and serve the aromatic Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, revealing layers of complex, intermingled spices and tender chicken.
Notes
- Master the rice texture by rinsing thoroughly and soaking for an even, fluffy consistency that absorbs flavors perfectly.
- Choose cooking methods wisely – rice cooker, pot, oven, or stove-top – each technique impacts the final taste and texture of your biryani.
- Control moisture levels carefully during cooking to prevent dry or mushy rice, ensuring each grain remains distinct and aromatic.
- Layer ingredients strategically to create depth of flavor, allowing spices and chicken to infuse the rice with authentic Hyderabadi essence.
- Patience is key when preparing biryani – slow cooking releases rich, complex flavors that transform a simple dish into a culinary masterpiece.
- Adjust heat and cooking time based on your kitchen equipment to guarantee a perfectly cooked, restaurant-quality chicken biryani every time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg