How To Make Authentic Chicken Biryani At Home

Posted by Sarah Mirza on Oct 18, 2022 (Modified Mar 24, 2025) · 32 Comments

5 from 14 votes

After years of testing and perfecting How To Make Authentic Chicken Biryani At Home finally we got it! Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list, I included 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 homemade biryani masala (spice blend).

WHAT IS BIRYANI?

Most South Asian Individual know Biryani is a rice dish wrapped in a delicious meat gravy. The dish is known for its layers of rice in meat gravy in aromatic smells. My version of chicken biryani takes 2 hours to make relies in steaming methods that's done in the oven or stove.

Come and learn How To Make Authentic Chicken Biryani At Home I know it can be intimidating but I gotcha! I have found a simple way to make delicious Biryani.

I make this almost every week because my daughter is obsessed with Biryani. You know how little girls plan their weddings? Well, she skipped that and went straight to planning her wedding menu—and it’s all Biryani! She wants 10 different kinds, from mutton to chicken to beef. Honestly, I respect the dedication! However, I do think obsessed is kind of understatement. Haha!

HISTORY OF BIRYANI AND WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE IT?

Biryani is a super popular dish in both Pakistan and India. It actually came from the Persians, who brought it to Delhi, India, and from there, it spread all over South Asia. Like many traditional foods, different regions have their own ways of making it. I like to say my biryani is just like the kind you’d get at a wedding back home—what we call shadiyon wali biryani (wedding biryani)!

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

When I first start making biryani, I didn't know what I was doing so my husband helped me in making the Authentic Chicken Biryani, he had to explain to me 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 made with a mix of different spices, masalas, and either Basmati or Sella rice. The rice is one of the most important parts—it should be long, fluffy, and packed with flavor. When cooked right, each grain stays separate, light, and airy, which is what makes Basmati rice so special.

Sella rice is a bit thicker than Basmati, but both types need to be cooked just right. If the rice turns out too mushy, too short, or breaks apart easily, it can mess up the texture and taste of the biryani.

INGREDIENTS

Rice: I sometimes use Sella rice and other times Basmati. However, in the blog post’s pictures and video, I used Basmati rice.
Tomatoes: I used medium-sized Roma tomatoes.
Oil: I used olive oil for this recipe, but any neutral oil will work.
Onions: I used red onions, but white or yellow onions can be used as well.
Dry Plums: This is one of the most essential ingredients in biryani—without it, biryani just wouldn’t be the same!
Biryani Masala: I used my delicious homemade Biryani Masala, but store-bought works too.

WHICH BRAND OF RICE SHOULD BE USED?

In my experience the Royal Chef's Secret Basmati Rice has been an irreplaceable option. My 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.

For Sella rice, we’ve found that India Gate Sella Rice works perfectly for our biryani. We’ve been using this brand for the past 2–3 years. I was first introduced to it by my maternal aunt, and it’s been our go-to ever since!

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.

This post is sponsored by Royal .

Hey Friend, You’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

LET'S MAKE AUTHENTIC CHICKEN BIRYANI!!!

Print Recipe

5 from 14 votes