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A straight-on view of a shallow bowl filled with a serving of Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani topped with fried onions and chopped cilantro.

Homemade Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Course: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Marinating and Soaking: 2 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Servings: 6
Calories: 782kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
This classic Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani features tender yogurt-marinated chicken and fluffy basmati rice layered with crispy golden onions, fresh herbs, and saffron milk. Slowly steam-cooked to perfection in a sealed pot, it’s a rich, deeply aromatic feast that is fun to master at home!
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Equipment

  • spice grinder
  • Mortar and pestle for grinding the ginger-garlic paste
  • oval Dutch oven or a pot called Handi
  • rice spider optional, but very helpful
  • heavy-duty foil
  • Comal or large cast-iron skillet or large fajita skillet

Ingredients

For the Biryani Masala

  • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds Shahi Jeera
  • 10 green cardamom
  • 2 black cardamom
  • 3 dried red chiles
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 8 cloves
  • 2 blades mace
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi dried fenugreek
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg fresh, ground

For the Ginger-Garlic-Green Chili Paste

  • 3-4 green chilies Indian
  • ¼ cup fresh ginger minced
  • ¼ cup garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil

For the Chicken and Marinade

  • 2½ lbs chicken leg and thighs, bone-in and skin removed
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice divided
  • 3 tablespoon ginger-garlic-green chili paste
  • 2 tablespoon kashmiri chili powder
  • 3 red onions thinly sliced
  • vegetable oil for frying onions
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 pinch saffron threads
  • ¼ teaspoon yellow food coloring optional
  • 3 tablespoon biryani masala
  • 1 cup plain yogurt whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds Shahi Jeera
  • 2 tablespoon ghee
  • ½ cup cilantro fresh, chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • ½ cup mint fresh, chopped, pluse extra for garnish

For the Rice

  • 4½ cups basmati rice aged, extra-long
  • 16 cups water
  • ½ cup salt
  • 4 green cardamom
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 3 green chiles Indian, slit down the side
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For Layering the Rice

  • 5 tbsp ghee melted, divided
  • 1 tablespoon saffron milk
  • saffron milk with pinch of yellow food coloring
  • fried onions
  • chopped cilantro and mint

Instructions

Make the Biryani Masala

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, green cardamom, black cardamom, red chiles, bay leaves, cloves, and mace. Dry-roast for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until aromatic. Turn off the heat and stir in the salt, kasuri methi, turmeric, and nutmeg. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Once cool, grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Set aside.
    2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp caraway seeds, 10 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom, 3 dried red chiles, 2 large bay leaves, 8 cloves, 2 blades mace, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp nutmeg

Make the Ginger-Garlic-Green Chili Paste

  • Finely chopped the green chiles. Remove seeds for less heat. Add the chilies, ginger, garlic, salt, and oil to a mortar and pestle, or a sturdy bowl. Grind until a paste form. (You can double or triple the amount, and purée in a blender or small food processor). Set aside.
    3-4 green chilies, ¼ cup fresh ginger, ¼ cup garlic, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp olive oil

Prep the Chicken and Rice

  • Remove the skin from the chicken pieces and place in a large Dutch oven. Add the salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoon prepared ginger-garlic-green chili paste, and the kashmiri chili powder (2 tbsp). Rub into the chicken and then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    2½ lbs chicken, 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chili paste, 2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
  • In a sturdy skillet, heat the oil (about 1 to 2 cups) to about 350°F. Working in batches, fry the onions until just turning golden. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Save 3 tablespoon of the frying oil in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
    3 red onions, vegetable oil
  • In a heatproof bowl, warm the milk in the microwave, or heat on low in a small skillet. Stir in the saffron and set aside.
    ½ cup whole milk, 1 pinch saffron threads
  • To the seasoned chicken, add the prepared biryani masala (3 tbsp), yogurt, 1 cup of the fried onions, caraway seeds (1 tsp), reserved leftover frying oil (3 tbsp), ghee (2 tbsp), saffron milk (2 tbsp), lemon juice (1 tbsp), cilantro, and mint. Mix well with the chicken. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour (you will then let the marinated chicken sit out for another hour. Total marination time is 2 hours).
    3 tbsp biryani masala, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp caraway seeds, 2 tbsp ghee, ½ cup cilantro, ½ cup mint
  • Add the rice to a large bowl and fill with cool tap water. Gently swirl the rice around in the water with your hand until cloudy. Use your hand to hold the rice back and drain the water into the sink. Repeat this two more times. Then cover the rice again with water. It won't be completely clear, but not cloudy. Allow the rice to soak for 2 hours (while the chicken is marinating).
    4½ cups basmati rice

Preparing the Rice and Cooking the Biryani

  • 1 hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge (you don't want cook really cold chicken).
  • Add the water (16 to 17 cups) to a large pot. Add the salt, and taste it. It should taste as salty as seawater. If needed, add more salt (don't worry, basmati doesn't absorb much salt, that's why a lot is needed). Add the green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, caraway seeds, green chiles, and lemon juice (1 tbs).
    16 cups water, ½ cup salt, 4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp caraway seeds, 3 green chiles, 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • About 30 minutes before cooking the biryani, turn the heat under the rice to high. (It will take about a half hour for the water to come to a boil).
  • Drain the rice and then add it to the boiling water. After 3 minutes, use a rice spider (or sieve) to remove about one-third of the rice (it will be about 30% cooked), spread it over the chicken. After another two minute, remove another third of the rice (it will be about 60% cooked). Spread it over the first layer of rice and top with a splash of saffron milk and 1 tablespoon of ghee. After 2 more minutes (7 minutes total), remove the final third of the rice (it will be 90% cooked) and spread over the top of the 2nd layer of rice.
    1 tbsp saffron milk, 5 tbsp ghee
  • If desired, stir in a pinch (about ¼ tsp)) of yellow food coloring into the saffron milk.
    ¼ tsp yellow food coloring
  • Drizzle the remaining saffron milk (with food coloring) and 4 tablespoon of the melted ghee over the top layer of rice. Spread about 1 cup of the fried onions and healthy pinch of the chopped cilantro and mint over the top.
    saffron milk with pinch of yellow food coloring, fried onions, chopped cilantro and mint
  • Cover the pot with two pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the lid on the Dutch oven, and if possible, place a heavy object on the lid (to help keep it securely in place).
  • Place a griddle, comal, or large cast-iron skillet on the stove. Place the Dutch oven on the griddle or comal. Turn the heat to high (400°F) and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat to medium (275°F) for 7 minutes. And then turn the heat to low (200°F) for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the Dutch oven rest on the griddle or comal for 15 minutes (don't lift the lid!).
  • Carefully remove the lid and the foil. To serve, insert a flat spatula down to the very bottom of the pot and scoop upwards. This will allow each serving to have a distinct mix of white rice, saffron rice, yellow rice, and the spiced chicken. Garnish with extra fried onions, cilantro, and mint, if desired.

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
  • The Rice Water: The boiling rice water should taste notably salty (like seawater). Basmati discards most of its liquid, so heavily salted water is necessary to season the grains from the inside out. Add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to keep the rice brilliant white and non-sticky.
  • Rice Type: Use an aged, extra-long grain basmati rice (such as Kohinoor Gold or 1121). Standard or short-grain rice will turn gummy.
  • Yogurt Selection: Use full-fat plain Indian Dahi or 5% plain Greek yogurt. High fat acts as a thermal barrier that prevents the sauce from separating or curdling during cooking.
  • Scooping the Rice: Use a wide metal spider skimmer to scoop out the boiling rice quickly without snapping the delicate grains. Pro-Tip: Turn the burner heat to low for 5 seconds right before scooping to collapse the foam so you can see the rice clearly at the bottom.
  • Use a Heat Diffuser: Placing a comal, Indian tawa, or flat cast-iron skillet directly under your Dutch oven diffuses the heat, guaranteeing the chicken steams gently without burning on the bottom.
  • Meat Selection: Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks yield the juiciest results. If using boneless thighs, reduce Phase 3 (low-heat steam) by 5 minutes.
  • Kasuri Methi: Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) add a signature savory aroma. Rub them between your palms before adding to release their essential oils. If unavailable, simply omit—do not substitute with ground fenugreek seed powder, which is intensely bitter.
  • Prep Ahead: The ginger-garlic-chili paste and dry spice blend can be made up to 3 days in advance. For maximum flavor, toss the chicken in the marinade the night before and refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 782kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 798mg | Potassium: 717mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 5mg