Prepare to create an aromatic masterpiece with this incredible Hyderabadi style Chicken Dum Biryani recipe, a dish celebrated for its rich flavors and fragrant layers. This show-stopping meal is often served with cooling Cucumber and Mint Raita, a piece of Sourdough Naan, or a simple Indian Cucumber Yogurt Salad salad to balance its spice.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Chicken Dum Biryani is a spectacular buffet or party dish with all it's garnishes. It's a hearty and filling layered rice and chicken dish that can be easily made ahead of time.
- Explosive Aromatic Flavor: The "dum" cooking method infuses every grain of rice and piece of chicken with an incredible, complex blend of spices.
- Impressive Showstopper: This dish is visually stunning and undeniably delicious, making it perfect for special occasions or when you want to truly impress.
- Satisfying & Complete Meal: It's a hearty, all-in-one dish that offers a perfect balance of protein, carbs, and spices, leaving you fully satisfied.
Ingredients Overview
The spices in biryani chicken are a key ingredient that gives the dish its flavor. The most common spices used in chicken biryani include turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala, saffron, and red chili powder. You probably have most of these already in your cupboard.
You'll find the slightly smoky black cardamom easily on Amazon. The remaining spices will be in the spice section at most any grocery stores.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few scrumptious variations using this recipe:
- Meat Alternatives: While traditionally made with chicken, you can easily substitute with goat, lamb, or even a mix of vegetables for a vegetarian biryani. Adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Rice Variations: Basmati rice is classic, but for a slightly different texture, you could experiment with long-grain sella rice, keeping in mind it may require different soaking or cooking times.
- Spice Level & Additions: Control the heat by adjusting the amount of green chilies. For extra richness, add a splash of saffron milk (saffron strands steeped in warm milk) or a few drops of kewra or rose water during the layering process.
How To Make Chicken Dum Biryani
This biryani chicken recipe is prepared in the hyderabadi style, where the rice and chicken are prepared separately, and then layered and reheated as a casserole.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, yogurt, grated ginger and garlic, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chili powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
Step 2: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and golden brown. Add the diced tomatoes.
Step 3: Next add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, green cardamom, and black cardamom pods. Cook for 3 minutes more.
Step 4: Add the previously soaked and drained rice to the Dutch oven with the cooked onions, diced tomatoes, and spice mixture, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 5: Add the chicken broth or water, salt, and saffron mixture, then bring to a boil.
Step 6: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, yet still very firm.
Pro Tips
After sauteing the onions, tomatoes and spices, you can then add them to an electric rice cooker. Make your rice mixture in the rice cooker with the broth or water. See our Aroma Rice Cooker Instructions.
While the rice is cooking in the Dutch oven, simmer the yogurt marinated chicken. The yogurt and spices will make a creamy sauce, which you will use when layering the biryani chicken later.
Step 7: In a separate skillet or pot, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add the marinated chicken pieces. Simmer over medium high heat until the chicken is cooked through and you have some sauce.
Step 8: Set this chicken and sauce mixture aside for later.
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃).
Step 10: In a large baking dish, spread out half of the cooked rice mixture. Top with the cooked chicken and yogurt sauce.
Step 11: Top with the seasoned cooked chicken mixture and the remaining cooked rice.
Step 12: Cover the baking dish with a lid or foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is reheated, and rice tender. Time will be dependent on depth of casserole dish.
Step 13: Remove from oven and serve with chopped cilantro, toasted almond slivers, sliced green onions, or hard boiled eggs for garnish.
Tips for Success
- To make the chicken more flavorful, marinate it in yogurt and spices for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Be sure to use basmati rice for the best results.
- To prevent the biryani from drying out when reheating, add a splash of water to the baking dish or microwave-safe dish before reheating it.
Storage Options
- Allow the biryani rice and chicken to cool completely before storing.
- Transfer the chicken biryani to an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Store the in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use brown rice instead of basmati rice. However, brown rice will take longer to cook, so you may need to increase the cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
Yes, you can make this dish ahead of time. Simply cook the chicken and rice separately and then layer them in a baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to serve, bake the dish in a preheated oven at 350℉ for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is heated through.
There are many different variations of chicken biryani. Some popular variations include vegetable biryani, seafood biryani, and mutton biryani. You can also add different spices to the dish to create your own unique flavor profile.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Dum Biryani is a great dish to serve on a buffet, or when you have a crowd over. This layered hyderabadi style is considered fit for royalty! Don't forget to make some Indian Mango Lassi's to compliment the spicy notes!
More Delish Recipes
- Cucumber and Mint Raita
- Coconut Rice In Rice Cooker
- Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Fluffy Steamed White Rice
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Get The Recipe!
Chicken Dum Biryani (Hyderabadi style)
Equipment
- 6 qt Enameled Dutch Oven
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken legs, thighs, chunked breast meat
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger fresh, grated
- 3 cloves garlic fresh, grated
- 2 teaspoon turmeric ground
- 2 teaspoon coriander ground
- 2 teaspoon cumin ground
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
For the Biryani Rice
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 large onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup tomatoes diced canned, drained
- 2 bay leaves whole
- 6 cloves whole
- 2 3" cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds whole
- 4 green cardamom pods whole
- 4 black cardamon pods whole
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to saute chicken
- 3 cup basmati rice rinsed, and soaked 30 minutes
- 4 cup chicken broth or water
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads 2 small McCormick's vials
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice soak saffron in lemon juice
- ½ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves fresh, choped
- 6 hard boiled eggs peeled
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, yogurt, grated ginger and garlic, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chili powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.2 lbs chicken, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoon coriander, 2 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and golden brown. Add the diced tomatoes.2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 large onions, 1 cup tomatoes
- Add the bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, green and black cardamom pods. Cook for 3 minutes more.2 bay leaves, 6 cloves, 2 3" cinnamon sticks, 2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 4 green cardamom pods, 4 black cardamon pods
- In a separate skillet or pot, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add the yogurt marinated chicken pieces. Simmer over medium high heat until the chicken is cooked through and you have some sauce.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the previously soaked rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth or water, salt, and saffron lemon juice mixture, then bring to a boil.3 cup basmati rice, 4 cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon saffron threads, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- In a large baking dish, spread half of the rice. Top with the yogurt marinated chicken mixture and the remaining rice. Sprinkle with the mint and cilantro leaves.
- Cover the baking dish with a lid or foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is reheated. Time will be dependent on depth of casserole dish.
- Remove from oven and serve with chopped cilantro, toasted almond slivers, sliced green onions, or hard boiled eggs for garnish.½ cup cilantro, ½ cup mint leaves, 6 hard boiled eggs
Notes
- After sauteing the onions, tomatoes and spices, you can then add them to an electric rice cooker and make your rice mixture in the rice cooker with the broth or water.
- To make the chicken more flavorful, marinate it in yogurt, lemon juice, and spices for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Be sure to use basmati rice for the best results.
- To prevent the biryani from drying out when reheating, add a splash of water to the baking dish or microwave-safe dish before reheating it.
Leave a Reply