How to Make Chicken Biryani Easily: Step-by-Step Recipe 2025

Have you ever wanted to know how to prepare chicken biryani at home? This easy recipe will guide you through every step to create a delicious, homemade biryani that’s full of flavor!

If good, tasty food brings people together, chicken biryani does just that. This classic dish of South Asia comprises aromatic rice and succulent chicken, making it a favorite at the tables of food lovers around the globe. Make chicken biryani at home without much hassle, if you follow a simple step-by-step chicken biryani recipe. This easy, but infallible, method to make the best homemade chicken biryani from scratch is what you’ll find in this guide.

Why Make Chicken Biryani at Home?

Cooking chicken biryani at home has many advantages over takeout or restaurant versions. Here’s why you should try it:

Family Fun: Cooking biryani can be a great bonding activity for the family, especially when it’s as simple as our chicken biryani recipe.

Control Over Ingredients: You decide what goes into the dish, ensuring fresh ingredients and eliminating preservatives and excess oil.

Customization: Whether you like your biryani spicier or milder, easy chicken biryani recipes allow you to adjust the flavors to your preference.

Healthier Alternative: By preparing it yourself, you can use healthier cooking methods and choose leaner cuts of chicken.

Ingredients for the Best Chicken Biryani Recipe

The following components are necessary for a basic, tasty, and uncomplicated chicken biryani recipe:

For the Chicken Marinade:

500 grams chicken (cut into pieces)
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
Salt (to taste)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the Rice:

1 ½ cups basmati rice
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 green cardamom pods
4-5 cloves

For Assembling the Biryani:

Fresh coriander and mint leaves for garnish

2 tablespoons ghee (or vegetable oil)

1 large onion (thinly sliced)

1-2 green chilies (optional)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

How to Make Chicken Biryani Easily: Step-by-Step

Making chicken biryani at home doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these easy chicken biryani recipe steps to enjoy a delicious meal in no time!

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

Chicken that has been properly marinated is essential to a tasty biryani.

Combine the chicken pieces, yogurt, garam masala, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Give the chicken at least half an hour to marinate. Refrigerate it for two to three hours for optimal results. Your chicken will have more flavor the longer it marinates.

Step 2: Cook the Rice

You may make the rice while the chicken marinates.

To ensure that the grains stay apart, rinse the basmati rice with cold water to get rid of extra starch.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a big saucepan. Add the cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks.
Add the rice to the boiling water and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until it is 70% cooked. The rice should be slightly firm.
Drain the rice and set it aside. Discard the whole spices.

Step 3: Sauté the Onions

Caramelized onions are a signature part of any biryani.

In a skillet, heat two tablespoons of ghee (or oil). Add the cut onions and cook until crispy and golden brown. It should take ten to twelve minutes.
To decorate the biryani later, take off half of the fried onions. To give the chicken flavor, leave the remainder in the pan.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken

It’s time to grill the marinated chicken now that the onions are ready.

In the same pan with the onions, add the marinated chicken and cook for about 10-12 minutes on medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked.
Add cumin seeds, coriander powder, and garam masala to the chicken. Coat the chicken with these flavorful spices by giving it a good stir.

Step 5: Layer the Biryani

Layering the biryani ensures that each bite is filled with perfect flavor.

Place a layer of the cooked chicken and onion mixture in the bottom of a big saucepan with a heavy bottom.
Cover the chicken with a layer of the half-cooked rice. Continue layering until all of the chicken and rice have been utilized.
Add the fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves, and fried onions as garnish.

Step 6: Reduce the heat and cook the biryani.

All of the mouthwatering tastes will be combined in this last phase.

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. To make sure the pot is shut, you can set a heavy pan or kitchen towel on top of the cover.
For 15 to 20 minutes, cook the biryani over low heat.This slow cooking process allows the rice to absorb the flavors from the chicken.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Once the biryani is ready, gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains.

To counterbalance the dish’s richness, serve the hot biryani with a simple salad or raita (yogurt dip).

Pro Tips for Making Chicken Biryani at Home

To make sure your chicken biryani comes out perfectly every time, here are some helpful tips:

Use Fresh Spices: Fresh, high-quality spices make a huge difference in flavor. Avoid using old spices that have lost their aroma.

Don’t Overcook the Rice: Remember, the rice will cook further in the final layering process. So, it’s important to undercook it slightly before draining.

Layer Evenly: Make sure the rice and chicken are evenly layered to achieve a perfect mix of flavors with every bite.

Rest Before Serving: To allow the flavors to settle, let the biryani rest for five to ten minutes before serving.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these mistakes to ensure your chicken biryani turns out just right:

Skipping the Marination: Marinating the chicken is crucial for flavor. Don’t skip this step!

Not Fluffing the Rice: After cooking, fluff the rice to prevent it from clumping together.

Overcrowding the Pot: When layering the biryani, don’t overcrowd the pot. This helps the steam circulate and cooks the rice evenly.

Final Through

Following this simple recipe for making chicken biryani at home, really fun and easy-rewarding. With the few steps that will go into preparation, you’d be able to present a wonderfully and aromatic dish that can compete with any restaurant version. So, grab your ingredients, follow the stepwise chicken biryani recipe, and enjoy the delightful experience of a homemade biryani with your loved ones!