Chicken Biryani (चिकन बिरयानी) — Authentic Recipe, History, and Regional Variants

Origin and History

Chicken Biryani (चिकन बिरयानी) is an iconic dish of Indian cuisine. Its name comes from the Persian word birian (बिरियान), meaning "roasted" or "fried". Introduced to India by the Mughals (मुगल), the dish became deeply rooted in local culinary traditions, evolving regionally to reflect local tastes and ingredients.

Historically, Biryani was a royal feast dish (shahi bhoj – शाही भोज), associated with the imperial Mughal courts. Chicken (murgh – मुर्ग), which cooks faster and is more accessible than lamb, became a key ingredient in the modern version of the dish.

Authentic Chicken Biryani Recipe (Hyderabadi Kacchi Biryani – कच्ची बिरयानी)

Ingredients (saamagri — सामग्री)

For the chicken marinade (masaledar chicken marinade — मसालेदार चिकन मेरिनेड):

• 800 g chicken pieces (murgh ke tukde — मुर्ग के टुकड़े)

• 150 g yogurt (dahi — दही)

• 2 fried onions (bhuna hua pyaaz — भुना हुआ प्याज)

• 1 tbsp garlic paste (lahsun ka paste — लहसुन का पेस्ट)

• 1 tbsp ginger paste (adrak ka paste — अदरक का पेस्ट)

• Spices: turmeric (haldi — हल्दी), garam masala (गरम मसाला), Kashmiri chili (कश्मीरी मिर्च), nutmeg (jaayphal — जायफल)

• Saffron strands infused (kesar — केसर)

• Fresh mint (pudina — पुदीना) and coriander (dhaniya — धनिया)

For the rice (chaawal — चावल):

• 400 g basmati rice (basmati chaawal)

• Ghee (घी) or oil

• Whole spices: cardamom (ilaichi — इलायची), cinnamon (dalchini — दालचीनी), cloves (laung — लौंग)

Preparation (vidhi — विधि)

1. Marination (marination — मरिनेशन):
Mix all marinade ingredients. Let rest in the fridge for 4 to 12 hours to allow the chicken to absorb the spices fully.

2. Partial cooking of rice:
Cook the rice to 70% in water infused with whole spices (saabut masale — साबुत मसाले). Drain.

3. Assembly (dum dena — दम देना):
Place the raw marinated chicken at the bottom of a heavy pot.
Add a layer of rice on top.
Drizzle with infused saffron, ghee, and sprinkle with mint, coriander, and fried onions.
Seal the pot tightly.

4. Final cooking:
Cook on low heat for 40 to 50 minutes. Then let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Regional Variants (kshetriya vividhtayein — क्षेत्रीय विविधताएँ)

• Hyderabadi Biryani (हैदराबादी बिरयानी): A kacchi (raw) version, very spicy, prepared using the dum pukht (दम पुख़्त) method where all ingredients cook together in steam.

• Lucknowi (Awadhi) Biryani (लखनऊ की बिरयानी): Milder and more floral in flavor. Rice and meat are cooked separately.

• Kolkata Biryani (कोलकाता बिरयानी): Includes potatoes (aaloo), shows Bengali influence, more subtle aromas, often with a slightly sweet note.

• Malabar Biryani (मालाबार बिरयानी): Uses short-grain rice, cashew nuts, fresh herbs, and reflects the cuisine of Kerala.

• Pakistani Biryani (पाकिस्तानी बिरयानी): Spicy, colorful, oily, and sometimes includes plums or potatoes.

Side Dishes (saath mein parose jaane wale vyanjan — साथ में परोसे जाने वाले व्यंजन)

• Raita (रायता): Whisked yogurt with vegetables and spices

• Onion salad (प्याज का सलाद)

• Indian pickles (अचार): Mango, lemon

• Boiled egg (उबला अंडा): Sometimes added as a garnish

Cultural Conclusion (sanskritik nishkarsh — सांस्कृतिक निष्कर्ष)

Chicken Biryani is more than a dish — it is a living heritage. It represents the union of Mughal culinary mastery, Indian ingredients, and refined Persian techniques. It is a festive (tyohar – त्योहार), family (parivaar – परिवार), and generous (dariya dili – दरियादिली) dish.