Asad Pakwan Chicken Biryani Recipe (3 kg Chicken, 3 kg Rice)
This is the chicken biryani we filmed at Asad Pakwan Biryani Center in Karachi, made with 3 kg of chicken and 3 kg of basmati rice. It has the same method as the shop’s other biryanis: a spiced gravy with the chicken cooked only to 60-65 percent, a yogurt jhol along the sides, a layer of tomatoes, herbs, plums and fried onion, then two layers of boiled rice and 20-25 minutes of dum. The amounts below come from the video’s spoken captions, which were auto-translated.
Serves: about 15 | Prep: 30 min | Cook: about 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy (our estimate) | Best for: dawats, family gatherings, catering
Heat level: medium (our estimate)
Watch the Asad Pakwan Chicken Biryani Video
What Makes This Asad Pakwan Chicken Biryani Different
Chicken only 60-65 percent done. The chicken is roasted for 7-8 minutes only. The rest cooks on dum, so the pieces stay whole.
A yogurt jhol. A thick mix of yogurt, food colour, nutmeg, mace and cardamom powder goes along the sides of the pot for aroma and colour.
Tomatoes, herbs and plums. Tomatoes, a bunch each of coriander and mint, 10-12 dried plums and fried onion go on top of the gravy.
Two rice layers. 1.5 kg of rice cooked 60 percent goes first, and 1.5 kg cooked 80 percent goes on top.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: 3 kg, cut for biryani.
- Rice: 3 kg basmati, boiled to 60 and 80 percent.
- Heat: the video says to use 8-10 green chillies for a spicy biryani; use fewer if you like.
| Ingredient | 3 kg chickenserves 15 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gravy | ||
| chicken | 3 kg | |
| salt | 3 tsp | |
| turmeric powder | 1 tbsp | |
| ground red chilli | 1 tsp | |
| crushed red chilli | 4 tsp | |
| whole cumin seeds | 4 tsp | |
| small green cardamom | 8-10 | |
| black cardamom | 4-5 | |
| black peppercorns | 35-40 | |
| cloves | 15-20 | |
| cinnamon | 3-4 pieces | |
| cooking oil | 250 ml | |
| ginger garlic paste | 4 tbsp | |
| green chilli paste | 4-5 tbsp | |
| water | 1 litre | |
| yogurt | 250 g | |
| After the gravy | ||
| garam masala | not stated | a pinch |
| nutmeg and mace powder | 1/4 tsp | |
| green chillies | 8-10 | use fewer for less heat |
| Jhol and layer | ||
| yogurt jhol | not stated | yogurt, food colour, nutmeg, mace and cardamom powder; amounts not stated |
| tomatoes | 0.5-1 kg | |
| fresh coriander | 1 bunch | |
| mint | 1 bunch | |
| dried plums | 10-12 | |
| fried onion | 50-60 g | |
| Rice | ||
| basmati rice | 3 kg | |
| boiled rice water | not stated | half a litre added before the dum |
| cooking oil | not stated | a little on top |
Amounts are from the video and recipe card. Items marked * are our estimate.
How to Make Asad Pakwan Chicken Biryani
1. Prepare the spices
Lay out the spices: 3 tsp salt, 1 tbsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground red chilli, 4 tsp crushed red chilli, 4 tsp whole cumin, 8-10 small cardamom, 4-5 black cardamom, 35-40 black peppercorns, 15-20 cloves and 3-4 pieces of cinnamon.
2. Fry the spices in oil
Heat 250 ml of oil and add all the spices.
3. Add the pastes
Add 4 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and 4-5 tbsp of green chilli paste.
4. Add the chicken, water and yogurt
Add the 3 kg of chicken, then 1 litre of water and 250 g of yogurt.
5. Roast to 60-65 percent
Roast on the flame for 7-8 minutes until the water dries a little and the chicken is 60-65 percent done. Switch off the flame, then add a pinch of garam masala, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and mace powder and 8-10 green chillies.
6. Add the jhol and the layer
Apply the jhol (yogurt with food colour, nutmeg, mace and cardamom powder) around the sides. Add 0.5-1 kg of tomatoes, a bunch of coriander, a bunch of mint, 10-12 dried plums and 50-60 g of fried onion.
7. Layer the rice and give dum
Put 1.5 kg of boiled basmati, about 60 percent cooked, then another 1.5 kg at about 80 percent. Cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes until steam comes out, add half a litre of boiled rice water and keep on dum for 20-25 minutes. Pour a little oil on top, mix and serve.
Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil and add the salt, turmeric, ground and crushed red chilli, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and both cardamoms.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and the green chilli paste, then the 3 kg of chicken, 1 litre of water and 250 g of yogurt.
- Roast on the flame for 7-8 minutes until the water dries a little and the chicken is only 60-65 percent done. Switch off the flame.
- Add a pinch of garam masala, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and mace powder and 8-10 green chillies.
- Apply the jhol (yogurt with food colour, nutmeg, mace and cardamom powder) around the sides. Add the tomatoes, coriander, mint, dried plums and the fried onion.
- Put 1.5 kg of boiled basmati, about 60 percent cooked, on top, then another 1.5 kg at about 80 percent cooked.
- Cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes until steam comes out. Add half a litre of the boiled rice water and keep it on dum for 20-25 minutes.
- Pour a little oil on top so the grains do not stick, mix and serve.
Video
Notes
Asad Pakwan Chicken Biryani Problems and How to Fix Them
- The chicken breaks: it was cooked too long before the rice. Stop at 60-65 percent.
- The rice sticks: a little oil on top before mixing keeps the grains apart.
- The biryani is too spicy: use fewer green chillies and less crushed red chilli.
Serving and Storing
Serve hot with raita and salad. Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge; reheat covered with a splash of water.
Asad Pakwan Chicken Biryani FAQs
How much rice does 3 kg of chicken need?
The video uses 3 kg of basmati rice, in two layers of 1.5 kg.
Why is the chicken only partly cooked?
It finishes cooking on dum, so it stays whole.
How long is the dum?
20-25 minutes, after 4-5 minutes on high flame and half a litre of boiled rice water.
More Recipes
- Raseeli Karachi chicken biryani: the 5 kg version from the same shop.
- Degi chicken biryani: another chicken biryani.
- Asad Pakwan chicken pulao: a 2 kg chicken pulao from the same place.
