How To Make Authentic Chicken Biryani At Home

Oct 18, 2022 by Sarah Mirza · 32 Comments

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After years of testing and perfecting how to make authentic chicken biryani at home, I can now say this is the only chicken biryani recipe you will ever need. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list, I include helpful step-by-step instructions to ensure you can easily follow along. In this dish, layers of rice, chicken, and gravy combine with fresh herbs and biryani masala (spice blend). It’s a deeply flavorful, aromatic and authentic Pakistani recipe.

WHAT IS BIRYANI?

Biryani is a rice dish wrapped in a delicious meat gravy. Its layers of rice and the meat gravy will be among the most aromatic smells you will encounter. Also try our Mutton Biryani with Homemade Biryani Masala.

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HISTORY OF BIRYANI AND WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE IT?

Biryani is a very popular dish in Pakistan and India. The dish originally hailed from the Persians, who brought it to Delhi, India where it spread like wildfire across the South Asia. As with many cultural staples, each region has its own adaptations when it comes to making biryani. I like to describe my biryani as the biryani you'd find at somebody's marriage back home, or the shadiyoon wali briyani (the briyani you get at weddings.)

rice in a strainer with hand showing the rice.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN BIRYANI?

Make the masala for the chicken biryani in a powder form.
Make the chicken gravy using Homemade Biryani Masala.
Parboil the rice.
Layer the rice and chicken gravy (will give details below).
Steam the biryani (dum).

TWO TYPES OF BIRYANI

As I was guiding Sarah (my wife) in making the Authentic Chicken Biryani, I had to explain to her that there are actually two different forms of biryani:

Bati huwi biryani - That just means your biryani is sitting down. When biryani sits down, it's a bad batch of biryani which means either the rice was overdone prior to the layering process, the gravy was too runny, or too much water and/or oil was added to the pot after the draining step.
Kari huwi briyani- That means standing biryani which is what we want. Pure perfection. When your biryani is Kari huwi, it means the rice is parboiled just fine, drained at the perfect time. The rice ISN'T Soggy, the right amount of oil and water is at the bottom of the pan, and the gravy is just the right consistency and amount.

TEXTURE OF THE RICE IN BIRYANI

Biryani is composed of a motley assortment of spices, masalas, vegetables, and, of course, the Basmati rice. Each grain of rice, arguably one of the most important parts of this delicious concoction, is long, fluffy, and laden with masala. When perfectly made the long-form grains should be blooming and airy, basking in the luxurious aura that Basmati rice is so known for. It shouldn't be too soggy, too short, or break apart very easily, as this may ruin the dish.

WHICH BRAND OF RICE SHOULD BE USED?

In my experience the Royal Chef's Secret Basmati Rice has been an irreplaceable option. My wife's family has been using Royal rice for more than 20 years, and I'm enamored of the company and the impeccable long grains of rice which have served me well time and time again.

HOW TO MAKE THE GRAVY FOR THE BIRYANI?

Once it's heat up, add the green cardamom and black peppercorns.

golden brown the onion — Add the onions and sauté them.

chicken and sauté it til it changes color along with ginger garlic paste — Now add ginger garlic paste and chicken, mix them until the chicken changes color.

chicken with tomatoes in a pot — Next add in tomatoes and yogurt and let it cook.

chicken graby in a pot. — Now add red chili powder, lemon juice, plums, salt and mix well.

HOW TO PARBOIL RICE PERFECTLY?

Please see how to make the perfect Basmati Rice for more details.

uncooked rice sitting in a bowl with water — Soak the rice for sometime.

water in a pot. — Add water, anise star, and cloves to a pot and bring it to boil

pot of water. — Once it's boiling add rice.

rice in a strainer — Once rice are 70-75% cooked take them out in a stainer and drain the water.

HOW TO LAYER THE BIRYANI?

tawa — Place a Tava on a stove while it's off.

water and oil in a pot. — Place the pot on top of the Tava. Add in the oil and water first.

rice in a pot with color — Now add a layer of the rice, topped that with orange food coloring.

cilantro and mint — Add mint and cilantro at top. then repeat from the rice layer again.

add some rice on top — On the third/last layer, layer it with rice and sprinkle some orange food coloring and then sprinkle some Kewra on top. Let it cook in its steam the procedure is called "Dum".

This post is sponsored by Royal .

LET'S MAKE AUTHENTIC CHICKEN BIRYANI!!!

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