Description
Better Than Restaurant Chicken Dum Biryani is a flavorful, aromatic Indian dish featuring marinated chicken cooked with basmati rice, infused with fragrant spices, saffron, and topped with crispy fried onions. This recipe brings restaurant-quality biryani to your home kitchen using traditional steaming (dum) techniques for tender, juicy chicken and perfectly cooked rice.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken drumsticks (4), skin removed
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in half
- 2 teaspoons biryani masala
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
Crispy Fried Onions
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
Rice Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups extra long grain basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (shah jeera)
- 2 bay leaves (tamal patra)
- 1 star anise
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 8 cloves
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
Garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron
- 2 tablespoons warm milk
- 2 tablespoons ghee (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, mix yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, biryani masala, kosher salt, chopped mint leaves, and lemon juice to create the marinade. Add the chicken pieces and coat them evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
- Soak Saffron: Soak the saffron threads in warm milk and set aside to infuse flavor and color.
- Rinse and Soak Rice: Rinse the basmati rice 2 to 3 times until water runs clear. Drain and soak the rice in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes.
- Fry Onions: Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and fry while stirring frequently until they turn light golden brown and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the onions, leaving the excess ghee in the pan. Mix one-fourth of the fried onions into the marinated chicken.
- Parboil Rice: In a medium pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add black cumin seeds, bay leaves, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves, and kosher salt. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling spiced water. Boil uncovered on medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes until rice is about 90% cooked. Drain immediately and set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Using the pan with remaining ghee, add the marinated chicken. Cook on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Layer and Cook Biryani on Dum: Carefully layer the partially cooked rice over the cooked chicken in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining caramelized onions on top. Drizzle the saffron-infused milk over the rice and add optional ghee if using. Cover the pot, seal the rim with aluminum foil, and place a weight on the lid. Cook on very low heat for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld during the traditional ‘dum’ steaming process. Turn off heat and let rest for 10 minutes before opening.
- Finish and Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro. Allow the biryani to sit uncovered for 5 minutes, then gently fluff the rice with a fork or silicone spatula to prevent breaking the grains. Serve warm with raita and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours in the refrigerator for enhanced flavor.
- Fry onions a day ahead to save time and consider using an air fryer for a healthier version with less ghee.
- Use aged extra long grain basmati rice for the most authentic texture and aroma.
- After cooking, allow the biryani to rest uncovered for 5 minutes before fluffing for perfect rice grains.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 601
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 2682 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.02 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 154 mg
