Best Chicken Dum Biryani

This Best Chicken Dum Biryani is one of the aromatic and flavorful dishes in Pakistani/Indian cuisine fused with a traditional cooking method termed “dum.” This recipe is ideal for special occasions like weddings, parties, and other festivities as Eid and Ramadan Kareem. Preparation time is a bit longer, but the final result is mouthwatering biryani with great flavor. If you are searching for the best chicken biryani recipe to try, then this basmati rice-based recipe goes well along with chicken so you would find it to be a crowd-pleaser and nothing but the best chicken dum biryani near you.

Chicken Dum Biryani is considered as the crown jewel of Mughlai cuisine Yes, a regal dish where tender chicken, fragrant basmati rice, and aromatic spices marry in a slow-cooked symphony. The “dum” (steam) method locks in flavors, creating layers of taste that you can enjoy with every bite. Back in time, Biryani traveled to India with Persian invaders, but the dum technique was perfected and adopted in Hyderabad’s royal kitchens of subcontinent! In the Mughal emperors’ kitchens, biryani’s dum method was used to feed armed forces with minimal fuel. Now, lets cook the latest version of best chicken dum biryani together.

Ingredients

For Chicken Gravy

• 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and blended

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh green chili paste

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 3 whole black pepper

• 2 whole cloves

• 1/2-inch piece of cinnamon stick

• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste

• 1/2 pack biryani masala mix

• 1/2 kg chicken (with bones)

For the Rice

• 1/2 kg basmati rice

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 2 pods cardamom

• 1 pinch of powdered saffron or yellow food color

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare the Chicken Mixture
First, heat the oil in a skillet and add chopped onions. Cook until they are soft and golden brown then add the chicken pieces and sauté until they change color. Now add the minced garlic and ginger, stir everything well, and cover the skillet for 30 seconds so the flavors can penetrate. In the next moment, add whole spices, including cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, and turmeric. Mix everything together, then cook the chicken to medium-high heat, allowing it to brown very well. Its time to add the red chili powder, red chili flakes, green chili paste, and 1/2 cup water. Cover the pan with lid and let it cook on low-medium heat until the chicken is 70 % done. As the chicken is almost done, add tomato puree and tamarind paste. Cook again until it is 90 % done. Finally, add the biryani masala and cook till the oil separates and the gravy becomes rich. Your Chicken gravy is ready for biryani.

2. Now prepare the Rice
Soak the basmati rice in water for at least an hour, wash and drain it in a colander and set aside. Meanwhile, boil some water with bay leaf, cumin seeds, cardamom, 1/2 tablespoon oil, and salt in a separate deep bottom pot. Add the rice in that boiling water and cook till it is 90 % ready, drain, and set aside.

3. Biryani Layering
Now, its time to layer boiled rice with chicken gravy. For this, take a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add one layer of chicken gravy then Layer over the chicken, rice. Make alternate layers of chicken and rice. Pour 2 tablespoon saffron infused milk or yellow food color all over the rice and garnish with fresh mint leaves. For dum cooking, cover the pot tight with a lid or place the kitchen cloth between lid and pot so that no steam comes out. Steam the biryani on very low flame called dum for about 20 minutes. Don’t open the lid to let the flavors seep inside.

4. Serve
Fluff up the biryani lightly and serve on a dish accompanied by raita or other side dishes of your choice.

This Chicken Dum Biryani is not just food- its edible heritage. The perfumed rice and tender chicken of biryani makes it a celebration dish worth every minute.

Serving Ideas

For Royal Style, serve biryani in handi (clay pot) with mirchi ka salan.

To add street food twist you can pair it with raita and lemon wedges.

OR Eggplant Fatteh Vegetarian Recipe

Tips

For perfect rice, soak basmati 60 mins minimum for longer grains.

If you are serving it in handi as an authentic biryani serving style, seal tightly with dough on the edges of lid as glue to trap steam.

Keep low flame for Dum cooking process as it demands patience!

FAQs

Can I use store-bought biryani masala?

Absolutely! Use 2-3 tbsp of a trusted brand like Shan or Everest available at grocery store.

My biryani tastes bland, how to fix it?

You can boost flavor by toasting whole spices before adding to chicken, adding 1 tsp kewra water (screwpine essence) also enhance taste.

How do I know when the dum is done?

After the dum time is complete, open the lid check if all the moisture from rice has become dried after dum and the final rice are fluffy with new long grain cooked rice. So dum process is complete with fluffy rice.

Can I use a rice cooker?

Not ideal for dum, but possible. For this cook rice separately. Then layer chicken and rice in the rice cooker, use the “keep warm” setting for 20 mins.

What is the best rice-to-chicken ratio?

1:1 by weight e.g., 1.0 lbs chicken to 1.0 cups uncooked rice (or 1kg chicken to 1 kg rice) is best. 

Print

Best Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe | Easy To Follow

Course: Asian/Middle East Main DishCuisine: Pakistani/Indian

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

20

minutes

Calories

701

kcal

Ingredients

• For Chicken Gravy

• 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and blended

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh green chili paste

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 3 whole black pepper

• 2 whole cloves

• 1/2-inch piece of cinnamon stick

• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste

• 1/2 pack biryani masala mix

• 1/2 kg chicken(with bones)

• For the Rice

• 1/2 kg basmati rice

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 2 pods cardamom

• 1 pinch of powdered saffron

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

Directions

• Prepare the Chicken Mixture:
  -Heat the oil in a skillet and add chopped onions. Cook until they are soft and golden brown.
  -Add the chicken pieces and sauté until they change color.
  -Add the minced garlic and ginger, stir well, and cover the skillet for 30 seconds so the flavors can penetrate.
  -Add whole spices, including cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, and turmeric. Mix everything together well, then cook the chicken to medium-high heat, allowing it to brown very well.
  -Add the red chili powder, green chili paste, and 1/2 cup water. Cover the pan and let it cook with low-medium heat until the chicken is 70 % done.
  -Add the tomato puree and tamarind paste. Cook again until it is 90 % done.
  -Finally, add the biryani masala and cook till the oil separates and the gravy becomes rich. Chicken gravy is ready.
• Now prepare the Rice:
  -Soak the basmati rice in water, washing and draining in a colander for at least an hour. Boil some water with bay leaf, cumin seeds, cardamom, 1/2 tablespoon oil, and salt in a separate pot. Add the rice in that boiling water till it is 90 % ready, drain, and set aside.
• Biryani Layering:
  -Take a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add one layer of chicken gravy.
  -Layer over the chicken, rice.
  -Pour 2 tablespoon saffron infused milk all over the rice and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
  -Cover the pot tight with a lid, you can seal the edges with dough to ensure no steam comes out.
  -Steam the biryani on very low flame or on “dum” for about 20 minutes; don’t open the lid to let the flavors seep inside.
• Serve:
  Fluff up the biryani lightly and serve on a hot dish accompanied by raita or other side dishes of your choice.
  

Notes

• How do I serve chicken dum biryani?
  Serve hot with a side of raita (yogurt sauce), salad, and boiled eggs for a traditional experience.
• How can I prevent the biryani from burning at the bottom?
  Use a heavy-bottomed pot and layer a thin coating of oil or ghee at the base. Cooking on very low heat also helps prevent burning.
• Can I make chicken dum biryani without saffron?
  Yes, saffron adds aroma and color, but it’s optional. You can substitute with a pinch of yellow food color mixed in warm milk for a similar yellow color.