Classic Chicken Biryani

A classic chicken biryani recipe that is divinely aromatic with fragrant spices & authentic Indian flavours, and succulent pieces of chicken within layers of fluffy rice, making this a must for all celebrations and special occasions.
A classic chicken biryani recipe which is divinely aromatic with fragrant spices & authentic Indian flavours, and succulent pieces of chicken within layers of fluffy rice, making this a must for all celebrations and special occasions.
Recipe Card
Ingredients | Quantity |
For the Chicken | |
Chicken with bone | 600 gm |
Turmeric powder | 1 tsp |
Red chili powder | 1 tsp |
Coriander powder | 1 tsp |
Cumin powder | 1 tsp |
Dry mango powder | 1 tsp |
Dries or fresh leaves | 1-2 tsp |
Salt | As required |
Lime juice | Half lime |
Plain yoghurt | 2 tbsp |
Cilantro, chopped | A handful |
For the Biryani | |
Long grain basmati rice or any biryani rice | 2 cups |
Onions, sliced and fried | 2 medium |
Onion, sliced | 1 medium |
Garlic, minced | 5 cloves |
Ginger, minced | 2 ½ inches long piece |
Green chillies | 3-4 |
Potato, cut in big pieces | 1 large |
Cilantro, finely chopped | 1 cup |
Chicken masala | 1 tbsp |
Bombay biryani masala | 1 tbsp |
Garam masala | 1 tbsp |
Milk | 3 tbsp |
Saffron | A pinch |
Salt | As required |
Black cumin seeds (shahi jeera) | 2 tsp |
For the Aromatic Water | |
Black cardamom | 1 big |
Star anise | 1 |
Ghee | 2 tbsp |
Bay leaves | 2 |
Green cardamom pods | A few |
Cloves | A few |
Cinnamon stick | 2 inches |
Cumin seeds | 1 tsp |
Fennel seeds | 1 tsp |
Coriander seeds | 1 tsp |
Saffron | pinch |
Pepper cons | 1 tsp |
Salt | 1 tbsp |
Method of Preparation
For the Chicken Marinade
- Mix all the ingredients well together and let the chicken sit overnight in the fridge or at least for 4 hours before cooking.
For the Aromatic Water
- Make a pouch (empty tea bag or cloth) of the small spices which are cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorn.
For the Biryani
- Once the prep work is done the procedure moves on fast so keep all your ingredients ready.
- Golden-fried onions, spices and chopped ingredients.
- Wash and soak the rice for about 15 mins.
- Keep a pot on a low flame and add the ghee (clarified butter) in it. Once hot enough add the whole spices that we are going to use to make aromatic water.
- Stir well and after half a min add about a litre of water in it and dip in the pouch prepared with small spices.
- Bring the water to boil, add salt to taste and a pinch of saffron then add the peeled and chopped potato pieces and parboil them.
- Once the potato pieces are parboiled extract them from the water and keep them aside.
- Now extract all the spices and the spices pouch from the water. Tip in your soaked rice and let it cook until 3/4th is done. Once the rice is ready you can just strain the rice and keep it aside, but keep some of that water aside to use later if needed.
- Place a wok/pot in which you wish to make the biryani on the medium flame.
- Add some oil and once it’s hot add the other sliced onion and stir well. After a minute add the parboiled potato pieces.
- Add some salt to it and stir well. Once the onion and potato have a slight brown colour add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies. Stir well for a min or two.
- Once the potato pieces look little brown add the marinated chicken to it and mix well.
- Add the Shaan biryani masala, chicken masala and I added some of my homemade masala which is a mix of all the whole spices and dry red chillies, dry roasted and ground into a fine powder. Stir well.
- Meanwhile, warm up about 3 tbsp milk and add the saffron to it
- Add some salt to the chicken and stir it. Now add a thin layer of fried onion and chopped cilantro on top of the chicken.
- Then add a layer of the parboiled rice. Then drizzle ghee all over the rice. Pour around the saffron milk. Then a thin layer of fried onion and chopped cilantro.
- At this point, you can add some of the leftover aromatic water so the chicken doesn’t stick to the bottom of the wok and also keeps it moist.
- Refuse the flame to the lowest. Cover the wok with the lid and keep it airtight if possible.
- After about 8 mins open the lid and gently check if the chicken and potato are cooked thru and the rice will be done too.
- Serve the biryani hot and enjoy it with a side of your favourite raita.
--
About the Contributor

Noopur Shah ICCA Alumni and a successful home caterer who believes cooking is an art full of creativity, where you dance in your kitchen, mix your imagination with a twist and put together a delicious meal.
For more recipes and updates follow; @thefoodfactory_by_noopurshah.
Your Space, Our World
This is a global platform for you to showcase your best for the world to see, in what you love doing most, Cook!
To get featured, upload your favourite recipe on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and tag ICCA Dubai with the hashtags #iccadubai and #iccamorningpost.
A classic chicken biryani recipe that is divinely aromatic with fragrant spices & authentic Indian flavours, and succulent pieces of chicken within layers of fluffy rice, making this a must for all celebrations and special occasions.
A classic chicken biryani recipe which is divinely aromatic with fragrant spices & authentic Indian flavours, and succulent pieces of chicken within layers of fluffy rice, making this a must for all celebrations and special occasions.
Recipe Card
Ingredients | Quantity |
For the Chicken | |
Chicken with bone | 600 gm |
Turmeric powder | 1 tsp |
Red chili powder | 1 tsp |
Coriander powder | 1 tsp |
Cumin powder | 1 tsp |
Dry mango powder | 1 tsp |
Dries or fresh leaves | 1-2 tsp |
Salt | As required |
Lime juice | Half lime |
Plain yoghurt | 2 tbsp |
Cilantro, chopped | A handful |
For the Biryani | |
Long grain basmati rice or any biryani rice | 2 cups |
Onions, sliced and fried | 2 medium |
Onion, sliced | 1 medium |
Garlic, minced | 5 cloves |
Ginger, minced | 2 ½ inches long piece |
Green chillies | 3-4 |
Potato, cut in big pieces | 1 large |
Cilantro, finely chopped | 1 cup |
Chicken masala | 1 tbsp |
Bombay biryani masala | 1 tbsp |
Garam masala | 1 tbsp |
Milk | 3 tbsp |
Saffron | A pinch |
Salt | As required |
Black cumin seeds (shahi jeera) | 2 tsp |
For the Aromatic Water | |
Black cardamom | 1 big |
Star anise | 1 |
Ghee | 2 tbsp |
Bay leaves | 2 |
Green cardamom pods | A few |
Cloves | A few |
Cinnamon stick | 2 inches |
Cumin seeds | 1 tsp |
Fennel seeds | 1 tsp |
Coriander seeds | 1 tsp |
Saffron | pinch |
Pepper cons | 1 tsp |
Salt | 1 tbsp |
Method of Preparation
For the Chicken Marinade
- Mix all the ingredients well together and let the chicken sit overnight in the fridge or at least for 4 hours before cooking.
For the Aromatic Water
- Make a pouch (empty tea bag or cloth) of the small spices which are cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorn.
For the Biryani
- Once the prep work is done the procedure moves on fast so keep all your ingredients ready.
- Golden-fried onions, spices and chopped ingredients.
- Wash and soak the rice for about 15 mins.
- Keep a pot on a low flame and add the ghee (clarified butter) in it. Once hot enough add the whole spices that we are going to use to make aromatic water.
- Stir well and after half a min add about a litre of water in it and dip in the pouch prepared with small spices.
- Bring the water to boil, add salt to taste and a pinch of saffron then add the peeled and chopped potato pieces and parboil them.
- Once the potato pieces are parboiled extract them from the water and keep them aside.
- Now extract all the spices and the spices pouch from the water. Tip in your soaked rice and let it cook until 3/4th is done. Once the rice is ready you can just strain the rice and keep it aside, but keep some of that water aside to use later if needed.
- Place a wok/pot in which you wish to make the biryani on the medium flame.
- Add some oil and once it’s hot add the other sliced onion and stir well. After a minute add the parboiled potato pieces.
- Add some salt to it and stir well. Once the onion and potato have a slight brown colour add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies. Stir well for a min or two.
- Once the potato pieces look little brown add the marinated chicken to it and mix well.
- Add the Shaan biryani masala, chicken masala and I added some of my homemade masala which is a mix of all the whole spices and dry red chillies, dry roasted and ground into a fine powder. Stir well.
- Meanwhile, warm up about 3 tbsp milk and add the saffron to it
- Add some salt to the chicken and stir it. Now add a thin layer of fried onion and chopped cilantro on top of the chicken.
- Then add a layer of the parboiled rice. Then drizzle ghee all over the rice. Pour around the saffron milk. Then a thin layer of fried onion and chopped cilantro.
- At this point, you can add some of the leftover aromatic water so the chicken doesn’t stick to the bottom of the wok and also keeps it moist.
- Refuse the flame to the lowest. Cover the wok with the lid and keep it airtight if possible.
- After about 8 mins open the lid and gently check if the chicken and potato are cooked thru and the rice will be done too.
- Serve the biryani hot and enjoy it with a side of your favourite raita.
--
About the Contributor

Noopur Shah ICCA Alumni and a successful home caterer who believes cooking is an art full of creativity, where you dance in your kitchen, mix your imagination with a twist and put together a delicious meal.
For more recipes and updates follow; @thefoodfactory_by_noopurshah.
Your Space, Our World
This is a global platform for you to showcase your best for the world to see, in what you love doing most, Cook!
To get featured, upload your favourite recipe on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and tag ICCA Dubai with the hashtags #iccadubai and #iccamorningpost.
A classic chicken biryani recipe that is divinely aromatic with fragrant spices & authentic Indian flavours, and succulent pieces of chicken within layers of fluffy rice, making this a must for all celebrations and special occasions.
A classic chicken biryani recipe which is divinely aromatic with fragrant spices & authentic Indian flavours, and succulent pieces of chicken within layers of fluffy rice, making this a must for all celebrations and special occasions.
Recipe Card
Ingredients | Quantity |
For the Chicken | |
Chicken with bone | 600 gm |
Turmeric powder | 1 tsp |
Red chili powder | 1 tsp |
Coriander powder | 1 tsp |
Cumin powder | 1 tsp |
Dry mango powder | 1 tsp |
Dries or fresh leaves | 1-2 tsp |
Salt | As required |
Lime juice | Half lime |
Plain yoghurt | 2 tbsp |
Cilantro, chopped | A handful |
For the Biryani | |
Long grain basmati rice or any biryani rice | 2 cups |
Onions, sliced and fried | 2 medium |
Onion, sliced | 1 medium |
Garlic, minced | 5 cloves |
Ginger, minced | 2 ½ inches long piece |
Green chillies | 3-4 |
Potato, cut in big pieces | 1 large |
Cilantro, finely chopped | 1 cup |
Chicken masala | 1 tbsp |
Bombay biryani masala | 1 tbsp |
Garam masala | 1 tbsp |
Milk | 3 tbsp |
Saffron | A pinch |
Salt | As required |
Black cumin seeds (shahi jeera) | 2 tsp |
For the Aromatic Water | |
Black cardamom | 1 big |
Star anise | 1 |
Ghee | 2 tbsp |
Bay leaves | 2 |
Green cardamom pods | A few |
Cloves | A few |
Cinnamon stick | 2 inches |
Cumin seeds | 1 tsp |
Fennel seeds | 1 tsp |
Coriander seeds | 1 tsp |
Saffron | pinch |
Pepper cons | 1 tsp |
Salt | 1 tbsp |
Method of Preparation
For the Chicken Marinade
- Mix all the ingredients well together and let the chicken sit overnight in the fridge or at least for 4 hours before cooking.
For the Aromatic Water
- Make a pouch (empty tea bag or cloth) of the small spices which are cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorn.
For the Biryani
- Once the prep work is done the procedure moves on fast so keep all your ingredients ready.
- Golden-fried onions, spices and chopped ingredients.
- Wash and soak the rice for about 15 mins.
- Keep a pot on a low flame and add the ghee (clarified butter) in it. Once hot enough add the whole spices that we are going to use to make aromatic water.
- Stir well and after half a min add about a litre of water in it and dip in the pouch prepared with small spices.
- Bring the water to boil, add salt to taste and a pinch of saffron then add the peeled and chopped potato pieces and parboil them.
- Once the potato pieces are parboiled extract them from the water and keep them aside.
- Now extract all the spices and the spices pouch from the water. Tip in your soaked rice and let it cook until 3/4th is done. Once the rice is ready you can just strain the rice and keep it aside, but keep some of that water aside to use later if needed.
- Place a wok/pot in which you wish to make the biryani on the medium flame.
- Add some oil and once it’s hot add the other sliced onion and stir well. After a minute add the parboiled potato pieces.
- Add some salt to it and stir well. Once the onion and potato have a slight brown colour add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies. Stir well for a min or two.
- Once the potato pieces look little brown add the marinated chicken to it and mix well.
- Add the Shaan biryani masala, chicken masala and I added some of my homemade masala which is a mix of all the whole spices and dry red chillies, dry roasted and ground into a fine powder. Stir well.
- Meanwhile, warm up about 3 tbsp milk and add the saffron to it
- Add some salt to the chicken and stir it. Now add a thin layer of fried onion and chopped cilantro on top of the chicken.
- Then add a layer of the parboiled rice. Then drizzle ghee all over the rice. Pour around the saffron milk. Then a thin layer of fried onion and chopped cilantro.
- At this point, you can add some of the leftover aromatic water so the chicken doesn’t stick to the bottom of the wok and also keeps it moist.
- Refuse the flame to the lowest. Cover the wok with the lid and keep it airtight if possible.
- After about 8 mins open the lid and gently check if the chicken and potato are cooked thru and the rice will be done too.
- Serve the biryani hot and enjoy it with a side of your favourite raita.
--
About the Contributor

Noopur Shah ICCA Alumni and a successful home caterer who believes cooking is an art full of creativity, where you dance in your kitchen, mix your imagination with a twist and put together a delicious meal.
For more recipes and updates follow; @thefoodfactory_by_noopurshah.
Your Space, Our World
This is a global platform for you to showcase your best for the world to see, in what you love doing most, Cook!
To get featured, upload your favourite recipe on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and tag ICCA Dubai with the hashtags #iccadubai and #iccamorningpost.