Hyderabadi chicken biryani
हैदराबादी चिकन बिरयानी
Kacchi dum biryani: raw chicken marinated in yoghurt, fried onion and spices, layered under part-cooked basmati and sealed to steam in one pot.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: हैदराबादी चिकन बिरयानी.
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Rest
- 4 hr
- Total
- 6 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
This is kacchi, or raw, biryani, the Hyderabadi method where the chicken goes into the pot uncooked. It is marinated for hours in yoghurt, fried onions, ginger-garlic paste, chilli, mint and garam masala, spread over the base of a heavy pot, and covered with basmati boiled until only about 70 per cent done. Saffron milk and ghee go on top, the lid is sealed with dough, and the pot cooks on high heat and then very low heat for about 40 minutes. The rice finishes in the chicken's steam and the chicken cooks in its own marinade. Nothing is stirred, and the timing does the work.
What you'll need
25 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Marinade
- Rice
- To finish
Ingredients
Marinade
- Chicken, bone-in thighs and drumsticks, skinned, in pieces of about 100 g1 kg
- Yoghurt, full-fat, whisked250 g
- Onion, thinly sliced and fried brown; half into the marinade, half on top4 medium
- Neutral oil, for frying the onions; 3 tbsp of it goes into the marinade200 ml
- Ginger garlic paste30 ml
- Chilli powder, Kashmiri, or half hot chilli powder9.9 ml
- Turmeric2½ ml
- Garam masala7.4 ml
- Fresh chilli, green, slit4
- Mint, leaves; half in the marinade, half between layers1 handful
- Coriander, leaves; half in the marinade, half between layers1 handful
- Lemon juice30 ml
- Ghee, half in the marinade, half over the rice59 ml
- Salt9.9 ml
Rice
To finish
- Saffron, soaked in the warm milk1 pinch
- Milk, warm60 ml
- Wheat flour, mixed with about 90 ml water to seal the lid, or use foil (optional)150 g
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan and fry the sliced onions over medium heat, stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes until evenly deep brown. Lift them onto paper, where they crisp as they cool, and keep the oil.
20 min
Tip: This is birista. Pull the onions when they are a shade lighter than you want, because they keep darkening off the heat.
Step 2
In the heavy pot you will cook in, mix the chicken with the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, green chillies, lemon juice, salt, half the mint and coriander, half the fried onions crushed in your hand, 3 tbsp of the onion oil and 2 tbsp ghee. Spread it level, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
15 min
Step 3
Take the pot out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Soak the rice for 30 minutes and put the saffron to steep in the warm milk.
5 min
Step 4
Bring the water to a rolling boil with the salt and whole spices. Add the drained rice and boil 4 to 5 minutes, until a grain pressed between your fingers breaks with a firm white core. It should be about 70 per cent cooked.
8 min
Tip: Taste the water before the rice goes in. It should be noticeably salty, because this is the only salt the rice gets.
Step 5
Lift the rice out with a spider, spices and all, and spread it loosely over the chicken without pressing. Scatter over the rest of the onions, mint and coriander, drizzle the saffron milk and the remaining ghee, and add 2 tbsp of the rice water around the edge.
5 min
Step 6
Roll the flour dough into a rope, press it round the rim and push the lid down onto it, or cover tightly with foil before the lid. Cook on high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until you hear a steady sizzle, then turn to the lowest heat for 30 to 35 minutes, on a flat griddle if you have one.
45 min
Watch: The raw method relies on a sealed pot and the full time. Keep the chicken pieces small and check the thickest one reaches 75°C before serving; if not, reseal and give it 10 minutes more.
Step 7
Rest the pot off the heat for 10 minutes, then break the seal. Serve by scooping down the side to the bottom, so every plate gets rice from the top and chicken from below. Serve with raita.
10 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 812 kcal
- Protein
- 63.2 g
- Carbs
- 61.2 g
- Fat
- 32.8 g
- Saturated fat
- 9.4 g
- Fibre
- 3.2 g
- Sugar
- 8.4 g
- Sodium
- 4461 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Garam masala → Biryani masala
A packet biryani masala is what many Hyderabadi homes use. Use the same amount and taste the marinade, as some blends are salted.
Bone-in chicken → Boneless thigh
Cut it into large pieces and shorten the low-heat stage by 5 minutes. It is less forgiving and dries out sooner.
Tips
- Use full-fat yoghurt. Low-fat yoghurt splits and leaves the bottom layer watery.
- If you smell scorching during the low stage, slide a flat griddle under the pot rather than opening it.
- Leftovers reheat best covered in a low oven with a splash of water.
History & culture
In Hyderabad biryani is wedding food, Eid food and Sunday food, served from huge copper degs with mirchi ka salan, a chilli and peanut curry, and dahi ki chutney, a thin raita. Which restaurant does it best is a civic argument. At home it is a project for a crowd, usually started the night before.
Layered rice and meat came to India from Persian pilaf traditions. The story goes that biryani reached the Deccan with Aurangzeb's armies and was refined in the kitchens of the Nizams of Hyderabad, who are said to have kept dozens of versions. The kacchi method is distinct from Lucknow's pakki biryani, where the meat and rice are both cooked before layering.
Traditional — Hyderabadi cooks use a heavy deg with coals on the lid, and often kewra water or attar for scent. A heavy lidded casserole set on a flat griddle over the lowest flame is the honest home version. Pakki biryani, with the chicken cooked first, is the safer route for a first attempt; this is the raw method.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Hyderabadi chicken biryani take?
6 hr 10 min all in — 1 hr prep, 1 hr 10 min cook, 4 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Nut-free.
8 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Stockpot, Frying pan, Spider or strainer, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Garam masala → Biryani masala. A packet biryani masala is what many Hyderabadi homes use. Use the same amount and taste the marinade, as some blends are salted. Bone-in chicken → Boneless thigh. Cut it into large pieces and shorten the low-heat stage by 5 minutes. It is less forgiving and dries out sooner.
What should I watch for?
The raw method relies on a sealed pot and the full time. Keep the chicken pieces small and check the thickest one reaches 75°C before serving; if not, reseal and give it 10 minutes more.
Any tips from this recipe?
Use full-fat yoghurt. Low-fat yoghurt splits and leaves the bottom layer watery. If you smell scorching during the low stage, slide a flat griddle under the pot rather than opening it. Leftovers reheat best covered in a low oven with a splash of water.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Leftovers reheat best covered in a low oven with a splash of water. In the heavy pot you will cook in, mix the chicken with the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, green chillies, lemon juice, salt, half the mint and coriander, half the fried onions crushed in your hand, 3 tbsp of the onion oil and 2 tbsp ghee. Spread it level, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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