The Ultimate Restaurant-Style Hyderabadi Chicken 65 Biryani recipe 

Feel like cooking a dish which involves bold flavours, crispy chicken and perfectly fragrant rice ? Then you have to try this irresistible Restaurant-style Hyderabadi Chicken 65 recipe which combines crispy chicken 65 and classic Hyderabadi biryani. Once you make this recipe I am sure it will instantly become your favourite !

How to make 

Marinating the chicken 

The way you marinate the chicken plays a big role in how delicious your Hyderabadi Chicken 65 Biryani turns out. Ingredients you will need are 

      Boneless chicken cubes – 500 g 

      Ginger-garlic paste – 1½ tbsp
      Red chilli powder – 1½ tsp
     Cornflour – 2 tbsp
     Rice flour – 1 tbsp
     Curd – 2 tbsp
     Egg white – 1 (optional, for crispiness)

      Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
      Salt – as per your taste
      Curry leaves – few
      Green chillies – 2 (slit)

      Food colour – orange/red
      Oil – enough quantity for frying

1. Start by marinating your chicken by adding all the ingredients and spices and set it aside for an hour. 

Getting the Rice Ready

2. While your chicken is set aside for marination, let us proceed towards preparation of rice the right way. For this you will need 

Basmati rice – 3 cups

Whole spices – bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, shahi jeera

Salt – water should be salty

Oil – 1 tbsp

Soak the basmati rice for 20-30 minutes and then start boiling the rice till it is 80% cooked. Do not overcook the rice as it could become mushy. Once the rice is boiled, strain the excess water.

Frying the marinated chicken 

3. Heat oil in a pan and start by frying the cornflour coated chicken cubes. To ensure all the pieces are fried until crispy and golden brown, deep fry them in batches on medium heat flame for 8-10 minutes. You can also add curry leaves, tomato puree and green chillies.

Done with frying ? Great ! Now remove the chicken pieces and place on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil.

Making of Birista 

4. Birista or crispy fried onions are made by deep frying thinly sliced onions over medium to high heat flame. Keep stirring until it turns out golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to overcook as they can turn out bitter.

Bone-in chicken marinade

To make the bone-in chicken marination for Hyderabadi Chicken 65 Recipe you will need a bunch of species

          Bone-in chicken – 750 g

          Thick curd – ¾ cup

          Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp

          Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
          Turmeric – ½ tsp

          Biryani masala – 2 tbsp

          Garam masala – 1 tsp
          Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
          Fried onions (birista) 

          Mint & coriander leaves – ½ cup each

          Green chillies – 3

          Salt – as per taste

5. Mix all the ingredients together with the chicken, give it a good massage, and let it marinate for 3-4 hours.

Layering the Hyderabadi Chicken 65 Biryani

6. Take a heavy-bottom pot or kadhai, add ghee and marinated chicken masala in it as a base layer. Top it with a layer of rice, food colour, saffron milk, and fried onions. Now spread an even layer of fried chicken 65 pieces. You may add slit green chillies, freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves as toppings. 
7. Cover tightly using a lid and cook on a low flame for 20 minutes, allowing the biryani to cook slowly and evenly.

Turn off the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Your Hyderabadi Chicken 65 Biryani is ready to be served !

You can also serve it with onion raita, mirchi ka salan, or lemon wedges.

Kitchen Notes

1. Add chicken 65 only after frying, not raw.
2. After you are done cooking, always rest the biryani before serving.
3. Keeping your chicken pieces small and even helps give you more flavour during the marination.
4. Adding cornflour and rice flour gives you the best crispy coating. 

Commonly Asked Questions

Why is it called Chicken 65 ?

Since it was first introduced in 1965 at the Buhari Hotel in Chennai, it gets its name from the year it was created. While there are many fun stories about the name, the 1965 origin is considered the most believable.

What’s the difference between chicken biryani and chicken 65 biryani ?

Chicken 65 is the newest variety of the chicken biryani. Chicken 65 basically includes spicy chunks of fried chicken with spices. These chunks are added to the biryani enhancing the taste of the whole dish.

What is another name for chicken 65?

Chicken 65 has different names in different regions of India as it varies in preparation and flavours. One famous name it has is the Mangalorean-style called Kori Sukka.