Best Chicken Biryani

9 Nov 2026

Easy chicken biryani recipe with juicy marinated chicken, fluffy basmati rice and saffron. Step-by-step method, tips and serving ideas.

Method

Marinate the chicken. Mix all the marinade ingredients with the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Fry the onions. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot. Fry the sliced onions on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Remove and drain. Set aside one-third for garnish and mix the rest into the chicken.
Cook the chicken. In the same pot, cook the marinated chicken on medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning once, until it is partly cooked and a thick masala forms. Turn off the heat.
Parboil the rice. Boil plenty of water with the whole spices and salt. Add the drained rice and cook for 5–6 minutes, until it is 70% done (the grain breaks easily but still has a firm core). Drain well.
Layer. Spread half the rice over the chicken. Sprinkle on half the mint, coriander and fried onions. Add the rest of the rice, then top with the remaining herbs and onions. Drizzle the saffron milk over it and dot with ghee.
Dum (steam) cook. Cover with a tight lid, sealing the edges with foil or dough if needed. Cook on high heat for 3 minutes, then on the lowest heat for 25 minutes. Rest off the heat for 10 minutes before opening.
Serve. Gently fluff from the bottom up so the layers mix. Serve hot with raita, salad and lemon wedges.