Pakistani Chicken Biryani recipe-A chicken biryani recipe made in Pakistani Style with chicken and potatoes. Pakistani Chicken Biryani is not much different from the Indian Chicken Biryani. If you aren’t familiar with the biryani, you might even be forgiven if you mistake one for the other.
I was introduced to the Pakistani style of cooking after coming to Dubai having a quite a few neighbours. Even though I have been seeing various types of biryanis ever since childhood, I was pleasantly surprised to see potatoes in the biryani for the first time ever in my life.
In my house, it was definitely not a common thing to cook the biryani with the potatoes. It was only added to the vegetable dum biryani. The use of India Gate – White Basmati Rice – Classic transforms the the taste from home-made to restaurant style.
I strongly recommend using India Gate Classic for all your biryani recipes, I feel no other rice comes close. And no, I was certainly not paid to say this. It is the rice that we have been using it at my home when I was small too.
So if you get this rice in the place that you live, definitely do try to use it. As I am a big fan of potatoes, this was truly an amazing thing for me as I can now enjoy the goodness of two favorite things in one dish.
For the pakistani chicken biryani, you will have to fry the potatoes and then cook the chicken yakhni and mix it with the par boiled rice.
Traditionally few more spices are added to the pakistani chicken biryani but I don’t add it as it is not commonly added in my home.
I have seen even aloo bukhara(is it prunes?) added to it, I have skipped that too, but if you prefer and like it, please do add it for the most authentic finish.
Serve it with Raita, Bagara Baingan or Baingan Bharta.
Let’s get started with pakistani chicken biryani recipe
Pakistani Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chicken cut into large pieces
- 1 kg basmati rice
- 1/2 cup oil/ghee
- 4-5 potatoes cubed
- 3-4 green chili slit/hari mirch
- 4 cardamom/elaichi
- 4 cloves/laung
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon/dal chini
- 1 tsp shahi jeera
- 4 onions/pyaaz finely sliced
- 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste/adrak lahsun
- 4 to matoes pureed
- 2 cups yogurt/dahi
- 2 tsp crushed red chili flakes / lal mirch
- salt to taste
- bunch of mint leaves / pudina
- bunch of coriander leaves / cilantro / hara dhaniya
- orange food coloring optional
Instructions
- Wash the chicken thoroughly and set aside.
- Wash and soak the basmati rice for an hour.
- Heat oil in a large pan and fry the potatoes till golden brown. Remove the potatoes from the pan and set aside.
- In the same oil, add the green chili, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, shahi jeera and onion. Fry till the onion turns lightly golden brown color. Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell evaporates from it.
- Add the chicken and fry till it is done and add the tomato puree, yogurt, red chili flakes, salt, coriander leaves/cilantro and mint leaves. Cook on high heat till it the oil starts leaving the side of the pan. Add the potatoes and give it a gentle stir.
- Now get your rice ready.
- Boil sufficient water in a large vessel to cook the rice. Add salt and a tbsp of oil to the water. The oil helps to keep the rice seperate. Add rice to the boiling water.
- Cook rice to 70% (This step is absolute crucial. Do not leave the kitchen at this point. If you don’t know how to identify the cooking of the rice. See notes below).
- Add rice to the yakhni. Do not mix. Spread a tbsp of ghee on top of the rice. Spread the food coloring on top of the rice now.
- Cover with foil and close the lid. The foil do not let the steam escape.
- Place on a tawa on cook on low heat for 15 minutes. If you do not have a tawa, cook on low flame for 10 minutes. (see Notes)
- Mix the rice and gravy gently before serving. Serve hot with Raita or bagare baingan
Notes
When you cook on a tawa, the bottom doesn’t get burnt.
Some people cover the lid edges with chapati dough to conceal the steam. Lazy me, opt for foil instead.
Nutrition
Signing off until next time,
Fareeha.
This recipe was originally published in November 2015. It has been retested and updated with reader feedback. The recipe has been made printable and checkboxes added for following the steps easily.
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Rafeeda says
I love how many variations are there of biriyanis… this one looks amazing…
Fa's Kitchen says
Thank you so much Rafs.
zarrin says
When to add the potatoes back?
Fa's Kitchen says
Oops… missed it out, thank you for pointing it out, jazakillahu khai. u have add it after adding the chicken
Binay Sinha says
See point no. 5 above.
Chicken Biryani Recipe says
yeh..what i did is i added saffron and milk for garnishing .Believe me it went off the plate…Guys just make a try…
Fa's Kitchen says
That’s really very kind and sweet of you to say so. I’m so glad your family liked it. Jazakillahu khair.
Shabna Aboo says
what abt the color ? how do you get all rice to look orange and yeloow mixed colors ? u just add color on top?
Fa's Kitchen says
Yes, I add the orange color just before closing the lid for dum. It is just orange coloring, haven’t used the yellow. I think the lighter orange looks like yellow. Hope you enjoy making the biryani
Shabna Aboo says
im in process of making it. coming from Kerala (in India), im very used to using turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder in most f r dishes including biriyani – so quite a surprise to see none of these in the recipe. Insha Allah will let you know of its outcome.
Fa's Kitchen says
As I too hail from Chennai, I was just as surprised as you making the biryani with red chili flakes instead of the chili powder.. and NO CORIANDER POWDER??? yes. I can understand what you mean.. May ALLAH make the taste great for your family. I’ll be waiting for the results with trepidition 🙂
Maha says
Hi, I recently tried your Aloo tahiri recipe and turned out fantastic! It was delicious and just what I felt like eating at the time. It could have used a bit more salt-but that was my doing should have added more. Anyways I want to try your biryani recipes but I lose you when you say add the rice to your yakhani, do you add the rice with the boiling water altogether or use those special straining spoons to scoop out rice and put in your chicken yakhani? I am new to cooking so sorry if it is a silly question 🙂
Fa's Kitchen says
Hi Maha,
I am so glad you liked the aloo tahari recipe. Alhamdulillah.
No question is silly and when I was starting to learn cooking, I would have never guessed such intelligent questions 😉
Sorry for the confusion, I have mentioned the rice has to be cooked 70%. If you see the notes you will see the details how to identify it. But after cooking it to 70% you will have to remove the water in a big strainer and add the drained rice to the yakhni.
For the dum biryani, we scoop out spoonful of rice with a special straining spoon and add it layer by layer. But for this version of the biryani, we just drain the water and add the entire rice. I hope it is clear now. Do lemme know if you have any questions.
Aman says
Its good to add samen while making chicken biryani. I topped with saffron stcik to this biryani .It was a lipsmacking one. Thanks for the step by step instructions.
I have also tried your “indian biryani “. That was a stunning one…G
Last friday I made chicken kuwaiti biryani I would like to suggest you to make a trail on this rrecipe also…
Fa's Kitchen says
Hi Aman,
Thank you for the heads up. I would add the samen next time I make it.
I am so glad you loved the biryanis. That makes blogging all worthwhile and keeps me going when I feel like giving up.
Lemme try the kuwaiti biryani too. I am sure it must be awesome.
Thank you once again for the positive feedback.
Huma says
i like this page
Fa's Kitchen says
Thank you so much Huma. Keep coming back for more yummy recipes.
Fareeha says
Such a pleasent surprise to see my own name at the end of the recipe. 🙂
Fa's Kitchen says
Haha.. Isn’t that so amazing!!! So glad Fareeha found Fareeha’s blog!! <3
Banu says
Thanks for the awesome biriyani,my husband made it for me by seeing this recipe it came out soo good that my neighbor also took your recipe..
Fa's Kitchen says
That’s a really cute compliment. I hope you and your family and your neighbors will enjoy many more recipes from this blog.
sam says
Hi,
will it be possible for me to cook the rice fully and the chicken fully and then mix it?
instead of cooking for 70%
I am scared I will over cook.
Fa's Kitchen says
No please. Cooking fully will make it soggy and won’t absorb the flavors fully.
xhaami says
Its too Good. Mou main Paani Bhar gia yar….. Delicious
Fa's Kitchen says
thank you so much..
Hasratain says
Thanks for sharing… Now i can also make baryani
Fa's Kitchen says
I am glad you could!
Amna says
Thank you for these amazing article I really like these and I never tried these kind of recipe but i will be serving my guest in upcoming Weekend, Before that
Can you please tell me that this acesaffron is fair for using in recipe or not ?
I’m going to purchase it from there florida store so that is why i wanted to be sure before buying
I read your article which is really made me think before buying from any where that is why i’m asking i hope you can reply me quickly
Please also mention quantity of using so i will follow you
Thanks
Debra
Fa's Kitchen says
Thank you for stopping by Amna. I guess, it should be good enough.