Better Than Restaurant Chicken Dum Biryani
User Reviews
5
Better Than Restaurant Chicken Dum Biryani
Description
This Chicken Dum Biryani begins with marinating bone-in chicken pieces in a mixture of yogurt, ginger and garlic pastes, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, biryani masala, lemon juice, fresh mint, and salt. This blend tenderizes the meat and layers it with complex spices. After marinating for at least 30 minutes or overnight, the chicken is combined with a portion of crispy fried onions, which impart sweetness and texture.
The rice is soaked and rinsed, then parboiled with whole aromatic spices including cumin seeds, bay leaves, star anise, cardamom pods, and cloves. Fried onions are cooked in ghee until golden and crisp to add richness and a toasty flavor. Saffron steeped in warm milk is reserved to later infuse the dish with its characteristic aroma and color.
The biryani is assembled by layering the parboiled rice and marinated chicken along with fried onions and saffron milk, then cooked on low heat so the flavors meld and the chicken becomes tender without overcooking. The result is a dish with richly spiced chicken and fragrant, fluffy rice that showcases traditional biryani elements in a home-cooked format.
Marinating the chicken for longer enhances flavor penetration, frying onions ahead saves time, and allowing the biryani to sit briefly after cooking helps firm up the rice grains for better texture.
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken drumsticks skin removed, 4 pieces
- 1 pound chicken thigh cut in half, boneless, skinless
- 2 teaspoon Biryani masala
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric ground
- ¼ cup mint leaf chopped, fresh
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ cup PLAIN yogurt
Crispy Fried Onions
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced, large
Rice Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2½ cups basmati rice extra long grain
- 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds shah jeera
- 2 bay leaves aka tamal patra
- 1 star anise
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 8 cloves
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
Garnish
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- 2 tablespoons milk warm
Instructions
Marinate Chicken
- Make the marinade by mixing yogurt, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, mint leaves, and lemon juice.
- Add chicken and coat evenly with the marinade. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Note: You can also marinate the chicken overnight in teh refrigerator.
- Soak saffron in warm milk, reserve.
Rinse & Soak Rice
- Rinse and drain the basmati rice 2 to 3 times. Add 4 cups of water and let it soak for 20 minutes.
Fry Onions
- While the rice is soaking, add ghee to a heavy-bottomed pan and add onions. On medium heat, fry the onions stirring frequently until they become light golden brown and start to crisp up - about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the fried onions from the pan, leaving the excess ghee behind as we will use this pan to cook the chicken. Add one fourth of the fried onions to the marinated chicken and give a quick mix.
Parboil Rice
- In a medium pot add 8 cups of water. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and salt to the rice and bring it to boil on high heat.
- Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Bring the rice to a full boil on high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 5 to 6 minutes or until the rice is about 90% cooked. Drain the rice promptly and reserve.
Cook chicken
- To the pan with the remaining ghee, add the marinated chicken. Cook on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
Layer and cook Biryani on Dum
- Carefully layer the partially cooked rice over the chicken. Top with caramelized onions and saffron-infused milk.
- Cover the pot and seal it with aluminum foil, then place some weight over the lid. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, this is the steam or "Dum" cooking step. Turn the heat off and wait another 10 minutes before opening the pot.
- Garnish with cilantro. Before serving allow the biryani to sit uncovered for 5 minutes. Gently fluff the rice using a fork or a silicone spatula. This will help the delicate rice grains to firm up a bit preventing them from breaking. Serve with Raita and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Marinate chicken for up to 24 hours to deepen flavors.
- Prepare crispy fried onions a day ahead to save time; for a lighter option, try air-fried crispy onions.
- Use aged, extra long-grain basmati rice for authentic texture and aroma.
- Allow biryani to rest uncovered for 5 minutes before serving; gently fluff rice to keep grains separate and firm.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 1Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 601 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 601kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 69g | 23% |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 154mg | 51% |
| Sodium | 2.682mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 549mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 592IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 106mg | 11% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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