Pakki Chicken Biryani is a classic and aromatic Indian chicken and rice dish where the chicken and rice are cooked partially before being layered. This results in a flavorful biryani that is a total crowd-pleaser.
Don't miss out on our popular chicken biryani, Hyderabadi dum biryani, and Chettinad biryani.
Easy chicken biryani
Pakki and kacchi biryani are two popular ways of making biryani. In pakki biryani, both the chicken and rice are partially cooked in a fresh masala made with spices, onions, and tomatoes. It is then layered and simmered for enhanced flavor and taste. This biryani is perfect for weekend meals or dinner parties.
Ingredients
Marination: Chicken thighs with red chile powder, salt, turmeric, lemon juice, and some ginger garlic paste.
Whole spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and bay leaf.
Spice powders: red chile, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, and coriander.
Herbs: Mint (pudina), Cilantro (coriander or dhania).
Other ingredients: Onion, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, garlic and lemon juice.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Marinate the chicken
- Marination is optional for this type of biryani. Use any simple marination of your choice.
- In a bowl, add chicken, red chile powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, and lemon juice and mix well.
- If you have time, marinate for 15-30 minutes.
Making of masala
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, and bay leaf, and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add green chilies and saute for a minute.
- Add onions and salt and saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Next, add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add mint leaves and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add turmeric, red chile, cumin, coriander, and garam masala powder and saute for 1 minute.
- Add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Add coriander leaves and mix them.
- After 5 minutes, reserve ⅓ portion of this onion-tomato mixture.
Flavored basmati rice
- In a pot, add water, salt, ⅓ portion of the reserved onion-tomato mixture, and juice of lemon, and mix.
- Add rice and mix well.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until rice is 80 Percent cooked.
Cook the chicken
Add marinated chicken thighs to the remaining onion-tomato mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes.
Making of pakki biryani
- After 10 minutes to the partially cooked chicken, add the partially cooked rice and ⅓ cup of water.
- Cover and cook on medium-low flame for 10-12 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve biryani with raita made from onions, tomatoes, and cucumber or curry like mirchi ka salan or simply a side of onion and chips.
Tips
- Use good quality basmati rice.
- Do not overcook the rice. It will be cooked entirely in dum cooking.
- Use any chicken marination recipe of your choice.
More biryani recipes
Recipe card
Pakki Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
For the marination (option)
- 600 g Chicken thighs
- ¾ teaspoon Red chile powder
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Ginger-garlic paste
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 teaspoon Lemon juice
For masala
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 teaspoon Ghee
- 1- inch Cinnamon
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Star anise
- 2 Bay leaf
- 4 to 5 Green chilies slit
- 3 to 4 Onions medium sliced
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- ¼ cup Mint leaves pudina
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon Red chile powder
- ¾ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¾ teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 3 Tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup Cilantro coriander leaves chopped
Biryani rice
- 3 cups Water
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ cup Basmati rice washed and drained.
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Marination is optional for this type of biryani. Use any simple marination of your choice.
- In a bowl, add chicken, red chile powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, and lemon juice and mix well.600 g Chicken thighs, ¾ teaspoon Red chile powder, ¾ teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Ginger-garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric, 2 teaspoon Lemon juice
- If you have time, marinate for 15-30 minutes.
Making of masala
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, and bay leaf, and saute for 2 minutes.1 tablespoon Oil, 2 teaspoon Ghee, 1- inch Cinnamon, 2 Cardamom, 2 Cloves, 2 Star anise, 2 Bay leaf
- Add green chilies and saute for a minute.4 to 5 Green chilies
- Add onions and salt and saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Next, add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.3 to 4 Onions, ¾ teaspoon Salt, 3 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- Add mint leaves and saute for 2 minutes.¼ cup Mint leaves
- Add turmeric, red chile, cumin, coriander, and garam masala powder and saute for 1 minute.½ teaspoon Turmeric, ¾ teaspoon Red chile powder, ¾ teaspoon Cumin powder, ¾ teaspoon Coriander powder, 2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
- Add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes.3 Tomatoes
- Add coriander leaves and mix them.½ cup Cilantro
- After 5 minutes, reserve ⅓ portion of this onion-tomato mixture.
Flavored biryani rice
- In a pot, add water, salt, ⅓ portion of the reserved onion-tomato mixture, and juice of lemon, and mix.3 cups Water, ¾ teaspoon Salt, Juice of 1 lemon
- Add rice and mix well.1 ½ cup Basmati rice
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until rice is 80 Percent cooked.
Cook the chicken
- Add marinated chicken thighs to the remaining onion-tomato mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes.
Making of pakki biryani
- After 10 minutes to the partially cooked chicken, add the partially cooked rice and ⅓ cup of water.
- Cover and cook on medium-low flame for 10-12 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve biryani with raita made from onions, tomatoes, and cucumber or curry like mirchi ka salan or simply a side of onion and chips.
Video
Notes
- Use good quality basmati rice.
- Do not overcook the rice. It will be cooked entirely in dum cooking.
- Use any chicken marination recipe of your choice.
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