Chicken Biryani Chettinad Style with Drumsticks
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Chicken biryani Chettinad style is a spicy South Indian rice dish with fennel, cinnamon and other warming spices adding beautiful fragrance and flavor. This drumstick adaptation is made with basmati rice, tomatoes and yogurt, with curry leaves and fresh mint, for a tasty and hearty meal.
I first fell for biryani while backpacking around India. There are so many regional variations to explore, and Chettinad cooking offers plenty for spice lovers. This is a home-kitchen adaptation with separately cooked rice, so it differs from the one-pot method you’ll find in many Chettinad recipes.
Chicken Biryani Chettinad Style at a Glance
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 3 generous portions
Cuisine: South Indian-inspired
Main ingredients: Chicken drumsticks, basmati rice, yogurt and tomatoes
Seasoning: Fennel, whole spices, curry leaves and fresh herbs
Method: Stovetop
Storage: Refrigerate promptly and eat within 24 hours, or freeze promptly
Why You’ll Love It
- A hearty, spicy dinner: Green chilies, red pepper flakes and black pepper give you plenty of heat, which you can reduce to taste if you like.
- Fragrant whole spices: Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom cook with the chicken, and fennel and star anise add their distinctive aromas too.
- No overnight marinade: The drumsticks simmer directly in the seasoned tomato-yogurt sauce.
Chettinad-Style Chicken Biryani Ingredients
The complete ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken drumsticks: Choose similar-sized pieces and allow enough room in the pot to stir them through the sauce.
- Basmati rice: Basmati’s long grains work with the separate-cooking method here. Seeraga samba is a common rice used in Chettinad biryani, but it needs its own cooking instructions, and isn’t always easy to source.
- Onions and tomatoes: Yellow onions are cooked until golden, with half reserved for the rice. Fresh tomatoes form the sauce with yogurt.
- Ginger-garlic paste: Choose a plain paste without added curry spices, or mince your own if you prefer.
- Whole spices and ground seasonings: Cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom and star anise cook with fennel, coriander, cumin, turmeric and black pepper.
- Chilies: Green chilies and crushed red pepper flakes give the biryani its heat. Use less if you want a milder result.
- Curry leaves, mint and cilantro [fresh coriander]: These go into the chicken sauce. Curry leaves are an herb, not the same as curry powder.
- Saffron: I like to sprinkle a small pinch of saffron over the rice, although it’s not essential to every Chettinad biryani.
How to Make Chicken Biryani Chettinad Style
The full instructions with weights and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Cook the onions until golden and set half aside. Briefly fry the whole spices and curry leaves with the remaining onions, then stir in the ginger-garlic paste. Add the chicken, tomatoes, yogurt, herbs and ground seasonings and simmer until the drumsticks are cooked. Cook the rice separately, drain it and spread it over the chicken with the reserved onions and saffron. Cover and heat gently until heated through.
Hyderabadi vs Chettinad Chicken Biryani
Chettinad biryani comes from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. Many recipes cook the rice in the seasoned chicken mixture, with fennel and other regional spices shaping the masala. Some cooks like to include coconut milk, and the rice may be seeraga samba or basmati.
Hyderabadi biryani is closely associated with dum cooking, which traps steam in a covered pot. In the kacchi method, partially cooked rice goes on top of raw marinated meat. In the pakki method, the meat is cooked before layering. Fried onions, herbs and saffron are common additions to this Hyderabad curry.
The difference isn’t simply that one is hot and the other is mild. Both can be spicy, and the methods vary between cooks. I used a separate-rice method for my Chettinad-style adaptation, but not every Chettinad biryani is made this exact way.
Substitutions and Variations
- Less heat: Start with less crushed red pepper and fewer green chilies. Keep the aromatic spices so the biryani still has plenty of fragrance.
- Gluten-free: Check the ginger-garlic paste and packaged spices for gluten-containing additions if needed. The main ingredients contain no wheat.
- Dairy-free: Try unsweetened plain dairy-free yogurt. Choose an unflavored product and avoid sweetened varieties.
- No saffron: Leave it out if you don’t have any. Don’t increase the turmeric to compensate; that’s a very different flavor.
- Fresh curry leaves: Look in an Indian grocery store or its freezer section. Don’t substitute curry powder for the leaves.
Handy Equipment for Chicken Biryani
- Heavy-bottomed pot with a lid: Holds the drumsticks and rice for the final covered heating.
- Saucepan: Cooks the rice separately.
- Fine-mesh strainer: Drains the rice without losing the grains.
- Wooden spoon: Stirs the onions and chicken sauce.
- Instant-read thermometer: Checks the drumsticks for doneness.
- Measuring cups: Measure the yogurt.
- Measuring spoons: Measure the spices, ginger-garlic paste and mint.
- Chef’s knife: Chop the onions, tomatoes, chilies and herbs.
- Cutting board: Provides a stable surface for chopping.
- Kitchen scale: Weighs the uncooked rice.
What to Serve with Chettinad-Style Biryani
Cucumber or onion raita is a good partner for a spicy biryani. You could also offer a tomato and cucumber salad, chutney or boiled eggs. Naan is optional because there’s already plenty of rice. My baked veggie pakora would be a nice appetizer before the biryani or you could serve this on the side.
How to Store
Refrigerate promptly in a covered container and eat within 24 hours.
Chettinad Chicken Biryani FAQs
Its regional spice combinations distinguish it from other biryanis. Fennel, pepper and aromatic whole spices are common, although the exact masala varies. Many versions cook the rice in the chicken mixture.
It often is, but you can control the chili heat when making your own. Reduce the crushed red pepper flakes and green chilies without removing the aromatic whole spices to tone down the spiciness but not the aroma or flavor.
No. Some recipes include coconut milk and others don’t. This adaptation is made with plain yogurt and tomatoes, without coconut milk.
Use white basmati for the separate-cooking method here. Seeraga samba is a traditional choice in many Chettinad recipes, but don’t assume it has the same cooking time as basmati.
No. One-pot methods are common, but they aren’t the only approach. I cooked my rice separately before combining it with the chicken.
Chicken Biryani Chettinad-Style with Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches (5cm) long
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 2 curry-leaf sprigs (leaves only)
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 6 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds (900g) total)
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 green chilies, chopped, or less to taste
- ¼ bunch cilantro [fresh coriander] leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 US cup (240ml) plain yogurt
- 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 10 ½ ounces (300g) uncooked white basmati rice
- 1 pinch saffron, optional
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale
- Heavy-bottomed pot with a lid
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Wooden spoon
- Instant-read thermometer
Method
- Heat enough oil to sauté the onions in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring, for about 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Set half aside.
- Reduce the heat. Add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and curry leaves to the onions in the pot and stir briefly until fragrant. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the drumsticks, red pepper flakes, cumin, fennel, black pepper, salt, turmeric, coriander, green chilies, cilantro, mint, yogurt and tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat, checking occasionally, for about 40 to 50 minutes or until every drumstick reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part without touching the bone.
- Meanwhile, cook the basmati in a separate saucepan according to its package directions, timing it to finish when the chicken is ready. Drain well.
- Spread half the cooked rice over the chicken and sauce. Add the reserved onions, then the remaining rice. Sprinkle the saffron on top, if using.
- Cover and heat over very low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until the rice is steaming hot throughout, checking that the bottom isn't scorching.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Whole spices aren’t intended to be eaten; remove them or alert diners.
- Chill leftovers quickly in small containers and eat within 24 hours, or freeze promptly.
- This recipe makes 3 generous portions. It should stretch to 4 or 5 if you’re serving other dishes with it.
A Biryani for Spice Lovers
Aromatic rice and spiced chicken make biryani one of my favorite dishes to sit down to. The fennel, curry leaves and whole spices give this Chettinad-style adaptation a character that’s well worth exploring whether you’re already a fan of South Indian cuisine or you’re relatively new to it.
Other Recipes to Try
- You might like my Indian omelet for a spicy breakfast or lunch.
- If you’re looking for a vegetarian meal, try this cauliflower and potato curry!
- My Indian ground beef with a tomato salad is also delicious.
- Indian pasta salad with chicken is a fun fusion dish you might like too.
- Want a lamb dish? This lamb curry with sweet potatoes is another of my favorites!
