Hyderabadi Dum Chicken Biriyani is a world-famous dish from Hyderabad, India. It's a non-vegetarian's delight. Preparing a good Hyderabadi dum biriyani is fairly simple since there is no sauteing of spices or meat. All you have to do is cook the meat and rice in a slow dum process, trapping the steam and aroma to retain the flavor and authentic taste.

Chicken Biriyani is a classic Indian rice dish where the rice is layered, sealed and cooked with chicken and spices. It dates back to the royal kitchens of the Mughals and is now popular across the globe. Since the dish is cooked in an airtight pot on a very low flame, the rice absorbs the rich flavours of the meat.
The rice is cooked first, but only until ¾th done. Thus, when the final dish is completed, it enables the grains to remain separate and unbroken. Chicken Biriyani can be served on formal/informal occasions and also for lunch/dinner.
Recipe for Hyderabadi Dum Chicken Biriyani:
PrintHyderabadi Dum Chicken Biriyani
- Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- Chicken - cut into medium sized pieces - 400gm
- Basmati Rice - 3 cups
- Coriander leaves- a handful, finely chopped
- Mint leaves- a handful, finely chopped
- Boiled eggs - 2
For Marination of Chicken
- Ginger-garlic paste- 2tbsp
- Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
- Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
- Cardamon powder- 1 tsp
- Yogurt - 1 cup
- Ghee - 3 tbsp
- Coriander leaves- a handful, finely chopped
- Mint leaves- a handful, finely chopped
- Green chillies- 3, finely chopped
- ½ of the browned onions after 5 finely sliced onions are fried
- Lime jiuce - of 1 lime
- Salt- to taste
For Cooking Rice
- Cinnamon- 1 inch stick
- Cardamom - 3
- Cloves- 3
- Star anise - 2
- Peppercorns- few
- Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp
- Bay leaves- 2
- Salt- to taste
- Water- 6 cups
For garnish:
- Fried cashews- a handful
Instructions
Preparation:
- Wash and soak rice in water and keep aside.
- Fry/brown the finely chopped onions and keep aside.
- Fry the boiled eggs and keep aside
- Take a deep heavy bottom vessel and let's marinate the chicken with the ingredients listed under marination. Keep aside.This is the same vessel that you would be using to layer the rice and completing the final dish.
- Heat water and add the ingredients for cooking the rice. Let it boil. Add the soaked rice and cook till ¾th done.
Layering the Biriyani:
- To the marinated chicken, add a layer of the ¾th cooked rice.
- Add about 2 tablespoon of browned onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves, a teaspoon of garam masala powder and cardamon powder.
- Layer again with cooked rice and repeat the process.
- You can add 3 tablespoon of saffron soaked in milk, 2 tablespoon of ghee and fried cashews on top of this final layer.
- Add little more ghee on the sides of the rice so that it gets into the chicken beneath.
- Cover the vessel and you can either seal it with dough or a cloth. This helps in creating steam inside and retains the moisture. Cook in high heat for about eight minutes. And you can find steam coming out from the sides.
- Lower the flame and cook for another ten minutes.
- The raw chicken would be cooked through and so will the ¾th cooked rice be.
- Garnish with browned onions and fried cashews.
- Serve hot with pappad, onion-tomato raita and fried boiled egg.
Notes
You can skip adding saffron milk, if you do not have. I didn't.
Do not overcook the rice. Keep an eye on it as basmati rice tends to cook faster. It is advisable not to multi-task when the rice is being cooked.
You can reduce the amount of ghee, if required.
You can also skip sealing the vessel with a dough or a cloth. Make sure it is however, tightly closed with a lid.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
Tips to make a good Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani:
Chef says:
Do not overcook the rice. Keep an eye on it as basmati rice tends to cook faster. It is advisable not to multi-task when the rice is being cooked.
You can reduce the amount of ghee if required.
You can also skip sealing the vessel with a dough or a cloth. Make sure it is, however, tightly closed with a lid.
Vidya Sury says
I've seen my friends enjoy this scrumptious dish! I've had the veg version. Yummy!Super photos as usual, Shalini!
Cheryl Sterling says
I'm always searching for another delicious chicken recipe, and this will go in my cookbook. I can't wait to try it.
Thanks for sharing!
Meenakshi says
I simply love the vegetarian version of the Hyderabadi biryani being a Pucca Hyderabadi.You have done justice to one of the best cuisines of the region with your appetizing pics and yummy description....Keep blogging 🙂
Soumya says
Yum, yum, yum. You make it sound so easy to make 🙂
Roshan Radhakrishnan says
I honestly feel I still need to get good authentic Hyderabadi biryani. i have tried it in a few mainstream restaurants but still find myself going back to good old malabar biryani 😀
Tina Basu says
who doesn't love a great Biriyani, I am a forever lover of Biriyani! I just don't like mint in my Biriyanis.
Shinjini (Modern Gypsy) says
That looks sensational, and way beyond my skill level! Maybe I can plan a trip to Rorkee and you can cook for me 😉
Sreesha says
Ooh yum! Hyderabadi style is my second favorite. First being Malabari, thanks to my roots of course 😀
Deepa says
We love chicken biriyani and our favourite is Malabar Chicken biriyani. Hyderabi is second faourite. I will surely try this recipe.
Menaka Bharathi says
That looks really yummy...and that too i go gaga gaga over briyani - one of my favourite comfort food....Thanks for sharing the receipe
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dew cool says
Looks so yummy and easy to cook
thanks for sharing
Shilpa Garg says
Love the look of your biryani. This is something that my husband loves and cooks well too. Since he is passionate about cooking, he loves these elaborate recipes. I am more of dump all things in a cooker and put in stove. LOL 😀
Mocktail Mommies says
Yum yum!!!! Got to try this!!!! Thanks for the recipe.
Suzy says
Biryani is my favourite dish - this looks pretty easy to cook - will be trying it soon.
Sophie Duncan says
All I want to say on this one is - yum! (and I've never had fried boiled egg as a side)
Sophie
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Denise says
I saw biriyani made on a cooking show yesterday. I am definitely trying this.
Sanch | Sanch Writes says
Oh yum! This is will definitely attempt!
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Vinay Leo R. says
That looks too yummy, T. 🙂 I thought it'd be Halwa, but this is another dish I love to have! Your theme is becoming one of my favorites!