Lucknowi Chicken Biryani | Awadhi Chicken Biryani | Biryani Recipes

Even though the Biryani dish is not originated in India and made its way to India with Mughals but later the mouth-watering dish began to incorporate the regional flavors and now every part of India has delicious varities of Biryani to offer. Biryani is a classic dish which I am sure needs no introduction to any non-vegeterian. Biryani is one such dish which requires patience and a little bit of experience for cooking a perfect Biryani. The chicken should be well marinated to absorb the flavors of spices, the rice should be cooked to the perfection and with the right amount of ingredients. The layering of Biryani and Dum process should be done properly so that flavors of meat is well incorporated with the rice.

As the name says this Awadhi Biryani is one such amazing and flavorful Biryani that comes from the land of Awadh and is also know as Lucknowi Biryani. This Awadhi or Lucknowi Biryani is different from the other Biryani recipe as this recipe doesn’t call for ground spices, tomatoes, or Biryani Masala. All the flavors come from using the whole spices. If you too are a fan of Biryani then you must try this aromatic Awadhi Biryani. Serve this Biryani with your choice of Raita, and some onion rings and enjoy the Awadhi cuisine. 🙂

Serves 4
Ingredeints:
For Chicken Marination

• 2 Lbs chicken, biryani pieces or Chicken drumsticks
• 1 Cup curd
• 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 ½ Tbsp red chili powder
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 Green cardamoms
• 4-5 Cloves
• 1 Tsp salt

For Rice

• 2 Cup basmati rice, soaked for 20mins
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Tsp cumin seeds
• 2 Green cardamoms
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Tbsp ghee
• 1 Tsp lemon juice
• Salt as required

For Biryani

• ¼ Cup Ghee
• 1 Cup onion, lengthwise thinly sliced
• 1 Tsp cumin seeds
• 1 Tsp fennel seeds
• 2 Green cardamoms
• 2 Green chilies, slit
• Few drops of Kewda/ Kewra water
• Saffron milk (2 tbsp warm milk + 1 Tbsp of lukewarm water + pinch of saffron strands), soak a pinch of saffron strand in lukewarm water for 30mins
• Salt as required

Recipe:

1. In a large mixing bowl take all the ingredients mention in chicken marination and mix everything well. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least an hour
2. Boil water in a rice cooker and add all the whole spices, ghee, lemon juice, salt, and soaked rice. Cook the rice and strain the extra water from the rice, if any
3. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pot, and fry the onions until dark brown. Remove half of them for layering and garnishing
4. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and green cardamom to the remaining ghee and saute for 10-15secs
5. Add marinated chicken and cook until the chicken is soft and cooked and water is reduced to a thick gravy. Adjust salt if required
6. Take of few chicken pieces and some gravy to layer the rice
7. Add a layer of rice to the cooked chicken and then add chicken pieces and some gravy and top it up with few brown onions
8. Add the remaining rice, gravy, and brown onions. Add saffron strand to the warm milk and pour this over the rice
9. Cover the lid and seal with the dough. Turn the flame to medium-low and dum for 15mins
10. Open the lid and serve with raita and some salad

Learn Step By Step Recipe With Pictures For Lucknow Chicken Biryani | Awadhi Chicken Biryani | Biryani Recipes
Recipe:
For Chicken Marination
Step 1- In a mixing bowl take beaten curd, ginger-garlic paste, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well using a spoon

Step 2- Make slits in chicken drumsticks to absorb the flavors fully. Mix everything well and refrigerate for an hour or two

For Cooking Rice
Step 3- Add 4-5cups of water, ghee, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cloves, lemon juice, and salt in the rice cooker. Let the water comes to a boil and then add the soaked basmati rice. Check when the rice is almost cooked, drain  it and keep aside for layering

For Biryani 
Step 4- Heat ghee in a deep bottom pot and fry the sliced onion until they turn dark brown. Remove half of them to a plate for later use

Step 5- To the remaining ghee and onion, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and green cardamoms and let them splutter. Add the marinated chicken and few fried onions. Keep the flame to medium

Step 6- Cook the chicken on medium flame until the chicken is fully done and add the slit green chilies. Adjust salt if required. Make sure the gravy is thick otherwise it will make the rice mushy

Step 7- Take out few chicken pieces and some gravy to layer the Biryani. I have used a clay pot to Dum. You can continue in the same pot. Layer half of the cooked rice, chicken drumstick, and some gravy. Sprinkle few of the fried onions on the top

Step 8- Layer it again with the remaining rice, gravy, and fried onions. To the saffron water add warm milk and stir well. Pour this saffron milk all over the rice

Step 9- Add few drops of kewda water to the biryani and cover the lid of the pot. Seat it with the dough and turn the flame to medium-low and let it Dum for 15mins
If using a Clay Pot, Place a heat diffuser over the stove and then place the Clay Pot on it. Dum for 15mins. Remove the dough seal and serve the Awadhi Biryani with Raita and onion rings

 

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