A luxurious fusion of creamy butter chicken and fragrant biryani rice!
⏳ Prep Time: 1 hour | 🍳 Cook Time: 45 mins | 🍽️ Serves: 6-8
📝 Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade:
- 1 kg boneless chicken (cubed)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder (for color)
- ½ tbsp cumin powder
- ½ tbsp garam masala
- ½ cup yogurt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup oil
- Handful of chopped coriander
For the Butter Chicken Masala:
- 80g butter
- ⅓ cup ghee
- ½ cup fried onions
- ½ cup yogurt
- 10 peeled almonds (blended into paste)
- 4 tomatoes (pureed)
- ⅓ cup biryani masala
- 4 whole green chilies
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tbsp salt
For the Rice:
- 1 kg basmati rice (soaked 30 mins)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 green cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 mace (optional)
- Coriander stems & leaves
- 2-3 lemon slices
- 2 green chilies
For Layering (Assembly):
- Handful of chopped coriander
- ½ cup fried onions
- ½ cup saffron-infused rose water (soak saffron in warm milk + rose water)
- ½ tbsp chaat masala
- 1 tbsp ghee
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate the Chicken
- Mix all marinade ingredients with chicken.
- Cover & refrigerate at least 1 hour (overnight for best flavor).
2️⃣ Cook the Butter Chicken Masala
- Heat butter + ghee in a pan. Add fried onions, green chilies, and almond paste. Sauté 2 mins.
- Add tomato puree, biryani masala, sugar, and salt. Cook until oil separates (~10 mins).
- Stir in yogurt and cook 5 mins.
- Add marinated chicken, simmer 15-20 mins until tender. Set aside.
3️⃣ Parboil the Rice
- Boil 6 cups water with whole spices, lemon, and coriander stems.
- Add soaked rice, cook 70% done (~5-6 mins). Drain & set aside.
4️⃣ Layer the Biryani (Dum Style)
- In a heavy pot, spread half the rice as the base.
- Top with butter chicken masala, then remaining rice.
- Drizzle saffron rose water, ghee, fried onions, chaat masala, and coriander.
- Cover with foil + lid. Cook on low heat (dum) for 20-25 mins.
5️⃣ Serve
- Fluff gently, garnish with more fried onions & coriander.
- Pair with raita, salad, or boiled eggs.
💡 Pro Tips
✔ For extra richness: Add 1/4 cup cream to the butter chicken masala.
✔ No saffron? Use turmeric + kewra water for color & aroma.
✔ Crispy bottom (tahdig): Place a chapati or potato slices at the pot’s base before layering.
🔥 Optional Spice Boost:
- Add 1 tsp black pepper powder to marinade for extra heat.
- Replace green chilies with 2 chopped Thai chilies for more kick.
Enjoy this decadent Butter Chicken Biryani—perfect for feasts! 🎉
BONUS: Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store in airtight container for 2 days. Reheat with 1 tbsp water on low flame.
- Freezer: Freeze layers separately (rice + gravy). Thaw overnight before assembling fresh.
1. Why is my biryani rice mushy or undercooked?
Fix:
✅ Perfect parboiling: Cook rice until 70% done (grains should break when pressed but remain firm inside).
✅ Drain well: Use a colander to remove excess water completely.
✅ Layering ratio: Use 1:1 rice to gravy (too much liquid = soggy rice).
✅ Dum heat control: Keep flame low; use a tawa (griddle) under the pot for even heat.
2. Can I make this without yogurt or with substitutes?
Options:
Dairy-free: Use coconut yogurt or cashew cream (soak ½ cup cashews, blend with water).
For tanginess: Replace yogurt with 2 tbsp lemon juice + ¼ cup cream.
Marinade trick: If skipping yogurt, add 1 tbsp oil + 1 tsp cornstarch to keep chicken tender.
3. How do I prevent the chicken from drying out?
Pro Tips:
🔥 Don’t overcook the masala: Simmer chicken just until 90% cooked before layering (it finishes cooking in dum).
💦 Gravy consistency: Ensure masala is thick but saucy (add ½ cup water if too dry).
⏱ Resting time: Let biryani sit 10 mins after dum before opening the lid to retain juices.
