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Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

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PREP TIME
35 min
COOKING TIME
43 min
TOTAL TIME
213 min
SERVINGS
6 servings
Dinner Indian
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole star anise pods
  • 1/2 teaspoon kala jeera (black cumin seeds)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 teaspoons chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder (such as Dunya®)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 pound chicken thighs
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 2 1/3 cups basmati rice
  • 4 bay leaves, divided
  • 1/2 cup warm milk
  • 1 pinch saffron threads
  • 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter), divided
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 green chile peppers, chopped
Instructions
1
Prepare the spice blend by grinding together black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and kala jeera into a fine powder using a spice grinder.
2
Chop the cilantro and mint leaves in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped.
3
In a large bowl, combine the spice powder, cilantro-mint mixture, yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, chile powder, biryani masala powder, and turmeric. Mix well to combine.
4
Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade mixture and toss to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
5
In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil over high heat. Add 2 bay leaves and reduce the heat to medium-low, covering the saucepan with a lid. Simmer until the rice is partially cooked through and still firm, about 5 minutes.
6
Drain the water from the saucepan.
7
In a small bowl, combine milk and saffron. Stir to combine.
8
Heat ghee in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
9
Drain the onions on paper towels and reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 bay leaves and chile peppers, cooking and stirring until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
10
Remove 1 tablespoon of ghee from the pot and set it aside for later use.
11
Wipe off any excess marinade from the chicken, discarding the marinade, and add it to the pot. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 minutes per side.
12
Spread the drained rice on top of the chicken. Sprinkle the onions over the rice. Drizzle the reserved ghee and saffron milk over the onions and rice.
13
Cover the pot and cook over high heat, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, about 5 minutes.
14
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until the rice is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 15 minutes.