Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 kg chicken (bone-in preferred)
- 1 cup thick yogurt (curd)
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp biryani masala (or garam masala)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup fried onions
- ¼ cup chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 2 cups basmati rice (aged, long-grain)
- 2–3 cloves
- 2 cardamoms
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions:
Marinate the Chicken
- Clean the chicken pieces.
- Mix all marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken, coat well, and let it marinate at least 3 hours (overnight gives best results).
Boil the Rice
- Soak rice for 30 minutes, then drain.
- In boiling salted water with whole spices, cook rice till 70% done (it should still be slightly firm).
- Drain and set aside.
Layer the Biryani (Dum Method)
- Grease a heavy-bottomed pot or handi with ghee.
- Spread the marinated chicken in one even layer.
- Add a layer of the parboiled rice on top.
- Sprinkle saffron milk, fried onions, mint, coriander, and ghee.
Dum Cooking (Steaming)
- Seal the lid with dough (or cover tightly).
- Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then low heat for 25–30 minutes.
- Alternatively, place the handi on a tawa over low flame to prevent burning.
- Turn off the heat and rest for 10 minutes before opening.
Serve
- Gently mix the layers before serving.
- Serve hot with raita, mirchi ka salan, or boiled egg on the side.