How do I know when the rice is 70 percent cooked?

The grains should look long and mostly cooked but still have a firm center when bitten. They should not be fully soft before layering.

Can I prepare any parts of this biryani ahead?

Yes. You can marinate the chicken, fry the onions, and parboil the rice earlier the same day, then assemble and cook on dum before serving.

Why did my chicken coating come off while frying?

The marinade was likely too wet, the oil was not hot enough, or the pan was crowded. Fry in batches and let excess marinade drip off first.

What can I serve with Chicken 65 Biryani?

A simple onion raita, mirchi ka salan, or plain chilled yogurt works well because it cools the heat and complements the spiced rice.

How do I keep the bottom from burning during dum?

Use very low heat, a heavy pot, and if needed place a flat tawa under the pot to diffuse heat while the top layer finishes steaming.

Home / Recipes / hyderabadi / Chicken 65 Biryani

hyderabadiHardnon vegetariangluten freenut free

Chicken 65 Biryani

RATING

4.6/5(87)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

A lively mash-up of fiery Chicken 65 and fragrant dum biryani, with crisp fried chicken tucked between spiced rice, herbs, and browned onions. Each katori has heat, tang, and that classic biryani aroma.

PREP

35m

COOK

55m

SERVES

1 KATORI

709 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~30 min
Marinate the chicken.
1.Add chicken thigh, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, lemon juice, rice flour, corn flour, and salt to a bowl.
2.Mix well until every piece is evenly coated.
3.Cover and rest the chicken for 30 minutes.
TIPA thick marinade helps the chicken stay coated and fry up with craggy edges.
fry · ~15 min
Fry the onions.
1.Heat oil for frying in a deep pan over medium heat.
2.Add sliced onion in batches and fry until deep golden and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per batch.
3.Drain the onions well and set aside.
TIPPull the onions out just before they look dark brown; they deepen in color as they cool.
fry · ~15 min
Fry the chicken and curry leaves.
1.Bring the same oil back to medium heat.
2.Add the marinated chicken in batches and fry until cooked through and lightly crisp, 5 to 6 minutes per batch.
3.Fry the curry leaves for a few seconds until crisp.
4.Drain the chicken and curry leaves and set aside together.
TIPDo not crowd the pan or the coating will soften instead of turning crisp.
boil · ~8 min
Parboil the rice.
1.Bring 6 cups water to a boil with bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and salt.
2.Add soaked basmati rice and cook until about 70 percent done, 5 to 6 minutes.
3.Drain the rice and spread it lightly so the grains stay separate.
TIPThe rice should still have a firm center because it will finish cooking on dum.
saute · ~8 min
Make the biryani masala.
1.Heat oil and ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds and slit green chili and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
3.Add tomato and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
4.Add half of the mint, half of the coriander leaves, and 1/2 cup water.
5.Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to make a loose masala base.
assemble · ~4 min
Layer the biryani.
1.Spread half of the parboiled rice over the masala.
2.Top with all the fried chicken, most of the fried onions, and the fried curry leaves.
3.Scatter the remaining mint and coriander leaves over the chicken.
4.Finish with the remaining rice and the last of the fried onions.
steam · ~20 min
Cook the biryani on dum.
Cover the pot tightly and cook on very low heat for 20 minutes until the rice is fully tender and the chicken flavor settles into the layers.
TIPKeep the heat very low so the bottom does not scorch before the top layer finishes steaming.
rest · ~10 min
Rest the biryani for 10 minutes.
serve
Fluff gently and serve hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Marinate the chicken until the coating is thick and clingy; a runny marinade will slide off in the oil.
2
Fry onions in small batches so they turn evenly golden and stay crisp for layering.
3
Parboil the basmati only until the grain still has a firm white core; fully cooked rice will turn mushy on dum.
4
Let the fried chicken cool slightly before layering so its coating stays textured instead of steaming soft immediately.
5
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or place a tawa under the biryani pot during dum to protect the bottom layer from scorching.
6
Rest the biryani before fluffing so the steam settles and the rice grains stay long and separate.
7
Store leftovers chilled and reheat covered with a spoon of water to bring back moisture without drying the rice.