Butter chicken biryani is a fusion of two Indian favorites - creamy Indian butter chicken and biryani rice, layered with fresh herbs and fragrant spices in a biryani pot. Make this rich, buttery, mildly spiced restaurant-style biryani easily at home with step-by-step photos and a quick video tutorial. Serve with raita, salan, or salad for a complete meal.

This Butter chicken biryani recipe is one of my all-time favorite biryani recipes. I’ve made this biryani many times during family gatherings, and it’s always a huge hit. Everyone in our family loves this creamy chicken biryani. With its rich, buttery gravy, fragrant basmati rice, and layers of fresh herbs and spices, this biryani tastes the best.
Whenever I am bored having regular Hyderabadi chicken biryani, I like to make this easy butter chicken biryani. The preparation time is a little longer, but it tastes awesome. If you love biryani, you might also like this Chicken Tikka Biryani, and Prawn Biryani.
What Is Butter Chicken Biryani?
This biryani is a flavorful fusion of two classic Indian dishes - Indian butter chicken and biryani. It is made with tandoori chicken cooked in a creamy tomato-based butter chicken sauce layered with aromatic basmati rice, spices, saffron milk, and caramelized onions, creating a rich and fragrant biryani dish. To make it simple, it is butter chicken in biryani.
Slow-cooked using the traditional dum method, the same as we used in this chicken dum biryani. Dum cooking allows the bold flavors to meld perfectly. It’s a creamy, mildly spiced, and delicious chicken biryani that’s perfect for special occasions or hearty family meals. It’s a must-try for both butter chicken fans and biryani lovers like me.
Making a perfect biryani requires time and patience. The biryani-making process looks a bit complicated but it is mainly divided into 4 easy steps. Believe me, it's easy, you have to follow the instructions.
- Cooking the biryani rice
- Pan-fry the tandoori chicken
- Make the butter chicken gravy
- Assembling, layering & dum cooking the biryani
You can serve this chicken biryani with chicken 65, salan, or raita.
You may also like these other popular biryani recipes from this website:
Ingredients Notes
- Boneless chicken pieces: This biryani is made with boneless chicken pieces, usually from the thigh or breast, as they absorb the creamy butter chicken sauce well and remain tender. But you can also use bone-in chicken pieces.
- Basmati rice: My ideal choice for rice in any biryani recipe is long-grain-aged basmati rice. Basmati rice has its flavors, when cooked, its long grains look beautiful in biryani. Aged basmati rice does not become soggy easily when biryani is dum-cooked. It can also hold its shape better in biryani.
- Spice powders & flavoring: Turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, green chili & salt. You can skip green chili if you prefer less spicy biryani.
- Thick curd/yogurt: I always use fresh, thick curd or yogurt while marinating the chicken. I have used hung curd in this biryani recipe. To make hung curd, tie some curd/yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang it for at least 2 hours or until all the water drains out.
- Cashews: It thickens the butter chicken sauce and adds creaminess to this biryani recipe. Do not skip it.
- Kashmiri red chili powder: Tandoori chicken is bright red color & you can achieve that color with Kashmiri red chili powder. This chili powder is not too spicy. Restaurants add red food color while marinating the chicken. Food color is not good for health so I won't recommend using it. If Kashmiri red chili powder is not available then skip it.
- Tomato: I used juicy ripe tomatoes for making the butter chicken masala.
- Onion: Onion is optional while making the gravy. Traditional butter chicken gravy does not have onions in it. But it adds some flavor to the butter chicken masala.
- Tandoori chicken masala: Butter chicken is made with tandoori chicken. Tandoori chicken masala will give it an authentic flavor. It is easily available in markets and Indian grocery stores. You can substitute it with normal chicken masala powder.
- Mustard oil: Authentic butter chicken has the flavor of mustard oil in it. It has a strong aroma. If you like it, then only add it. You can substitute it with regular cooking oil.
- Whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, green cardamoms, black cardamom, star anise, mace & nutmeg. Mace & nutmeg gives butter chicken its authentic flavor. If you do not have the entire list of whole spices then add a few that are available in your kitchen pantry.
- Butter: It is an important ingredient to make this butter chicken biryani. Do not skip it. However, you can reduce the quantity but then definitely it will affect the flavors.
- Fresh cream: Use fresh cream. No need to add heavy cream. You can use less fat cream too.
- Fried onions or birista: You can easily make it at home. Just deep fry the onions slices in hot oil until crisp. Or use store-bought birista.
- Herbs: Coriander leaves, Mint leaves & Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
- Biryani masala powder: Biryani masala powder balances the flavors & aroma. You can skip the whole spices & use only biryani masala powder. It has all the essential spices that flavor the biryani. You can add store-bought or make your homemade biryani masala powder.
- Saffron milk: It is optional I this biryani recipe. It is made with a pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tablespoons of warm milk. You can substitute it with 3 tablespoons of milk or 3 tablespoons of water in its place.
- Ghee/clarified butter: Ghee makes the biryani rice soft & aromatic.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
How to make Butter Chicken Biryani (with Step By Step Instructions)
Preparations
- Marinate the chicken - Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned in the ingredient list. Set it aside for 30 minutes. (image 1)
- Soaking the rice - Rinse & soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water & set it aside. (image 2)
- Making birista - Fry onion slices in hot oil until golden & crisp. Remove & spread it on an absorbent paper. If you use store-bought fried onions (birista), you can skip this step. (image 3)
- Crush cardamom, mace & nutmeg to a fine powder. Set it aside. (image 4)

Making Butter Chicken Masala
- Boil 1 cup of water on high heat. Add garlic, ginger, onion, whole spices, tomatoes & butter. Cover & cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat & let it cool down completely. (image 5 & 6)
- Transfer the ingredients to the mixer/grinder jar. Do not add water & grind it to a fine paste. The butter chicken masala is ready. Set it aside. (image 7 & 8)

Cooking Biryani Rice
- Boil 6 cups of water on high heat. Once the water boils, add salt, whole spices & basmati rice. Cook until the water comes to a boil again and the rice is 80% cooked. It will take around 5 minutes. To check, take the rice grains between finger & thumb. It should split (not mushy). Drain off the water & keep it aside. (images 9 to 12)

Making Tandoori Chicken
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add the marinated chicken (Be careful, not to add the extra marinade while pan-frying the chicken) & fry on both sides until crisp. Then lower the heat & cook it on low heat for 5 minutes until cooked. (image 13 & 14)
- Create some space in the middle (refer to the image). Place a bowl with hot charcoal in the middle. Pour some ghee/clarified butter. Cover & set it aside. It will give a smoky flavor to the tandoori chicken. (image 15 & 16)

Making Butter Chicken Biryani Gravy
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil & 1 teaspoon butter over low to medium heat. Add Kashmiri red chili powder. Fry it for a minute. Immediately add the prepared butter chicken masala & cook until it comes to a boil. (images 17 to 20)

- Add tandoori chicken to the masala. Cook until it comes to a boil again. Taste & adjust the salt. Reduce the excess gravy on low heat. There should not be too much gravy before you start to layer the biryani. Otherwise, the biryani will become soggy. (image 21 & 22)

Assembling and Layering Butter Chicken Biryani
- Lower the heat & add cream, fried onions, green chilies, kasuri methi & prepared cardamom, mace & nutmeg powder, coriander & mint leaves. Layer the rice. Over it layer fried onion, mint leaves, coriander leaves, biryani masala powder, saffron milk & ghee/clarified butter. (image 23, 24 & 25)
- Create some space for the steam to escape with the ladle. If you are not creating the space the biryani will not cook properly. Compared to other biryani, this biryani needs this additional step. (image 26) . You can watch the video to understand the process better.
- Close with the lid. Cook for 15 minutes on low heat. Butter chicken biryani is ready to serve. It tastes best when served with Raita & Salad. (image 27 & 28)

Tips to make the Best Butter Chicken Biryani
- For pan-frying the chicken, make sure the pan is very hot. It will seal the outer layer of the chicken. The chicken will be crisp outside & nice & juicy inside.
- Before you start layering the biryani, make sure, there should not be too much gravy/sauce left at the base of the pan. You can heat it on low & reduce the gravy.
- Once you finished assembling & layering the biryani then make some space with the ladle for the heat to escape. Only after that close with the lid & dum cook the biryani. This process is shown in the step-by-step process below & the video.
- Always use a heavy-bottomed utensil/pan to make biryani. Biryani sometimes gets burnt or sticks at the bottom of the pan when dum-cooked. That is why using a heavy bottom pan or vessel is recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it has a balanced flavor, mildly spiced with a creamy, slightly sweet taste. It's a dish that your family can enjoy including kids. You can adjust the heat by adding or reducing green chilies, biryani masala powder, and red chili powder.
You can serve it with cucumber tomato salad, Mirchi ka salan, or raita. It can also be served with pickle, papad, or lassi.
Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Leftover chicken biryani can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let the biryani come to room temperature before storing it. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
Freezing suggestions - Store the leftover biryani in an airtight container in the freezer. Stays good for a month. Thaw it for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter. Take it out in a microwave-safe bowl/plate. Sprinkle some water over it & reheat it in the microwave.
Always store biryani in small portions & take out the quantity that you are ready to consume. Reheat only that portion. Do not reheat the biryani once thawed. Biryani will lose its flavors, texture & aroma.
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Recipe Card

Butter chicken biryani
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pot or Heavy bottok Wok
Ingredients
To make tandoori chicken
- 700 gram boneless or bone-in chicken cut into pieces
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- ¼ cup thick curd/yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon tandoori chicken masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoon mustard oil
To make the butter chicken masala
- 10 cloves of garlic
- 2- inch ginger roughly chopped
- 1 small onion
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 4 cloves
- 10 peppercorns
- 3 green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- 6-7 cashews
- 5 big tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon butter
Making the spice powder (optional - for restaurant-style flavor)
- 4 cardamoms
- a small piece of nutmeg
- 2 petals javitri mace
For cooking biryani rice
- 2 cups of basmati rice
- 1- inch cinnamon (Dalchini)
- 1 star anise (Chakra phool)
- 2 green cardamoms (Choti Elaichi)
- 1 black cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
Other ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
Assembling & layering the biryani
- 2 tablespoon cream
- fried onions
- 1 green chili
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi
- coriander leaves
- mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon Biryani masala powder
- saffron milk - a pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tablespoon warm milk. (optional)
- 2 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter
Instructions
Preparations
- Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned in the ingredient list. Set it aside for 30 minutes.
- Rinse & soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water & set it aside.
- Fry onion slices in hot oil until golden & crisp. Remove & spread it on an absorbent paper. If using store bought fried onions (birista) then you can skip this step.
- Crush cardamom, mace & nutmeg to a fine powder. Set it aside.
Making butter chicken masala
- Boil 1 cup of water on high heat. Add garlic, ginger, onion, whole spices, tomatoes & butter. Cover & cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat & let it cool down completely. Transfer the ingredients to the mixer/grinder jar. Do not add water & grind it to a fine paste. The butter chicken masala is ready. Set it aside.
Cooking biryani rice
- Boil 6 cups of water on high heat. Once the water boils, add salt, whole spices & basmati rice. Cook until the water comes to a boil again and the rice is 80% cooked. It will take around 5 minutes. To check, take the rice grains between finger & thumb. It should split (not mushy). Drain off the water & keep it aside.
Making tandoori chicken
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add the marinated chicken (Be careful, not to add the extra marinade while pan-frying the chicken) & fry on both sides until crisp. Then lower the heat & cook it on low heat for 5 minutes until cooked.
- Create some space in the middle (refer the image). Place a bowl with hot charcoal in the middle. Pour some ghee/clarified butter. Cover & set it aside. It will give a smoky flavor to the chicken. (This step is optional)
Making butter chicken biyrani gravy
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil & 1 teaspoon butter over low to medium heat. Add Kashmiri red chili powder. Fry it for a minute. Immediately add the prepared butter chicken sauce base & cook until it comes to a boil.
- Add tandoori chicken to the gravy. Cook until it comes to a boil again. Taste & adjust salt. Reduce the excess gravy on low heat. There should not be too much gravy before you start to layer the biryani. Otherwise the biryani will become soggy.
Assembling and layering butter chicken biryani
- Lower the heat & add cream, fried onions, green chilies, kasuri methi & prepared cardamom, mace & nutmeg powder, coriander & mint leaves. Layer the rice. Over it layer fried onion, mint leaves, coriander leaves, Biryani masala powder, saffron milk & ghee/clarified butter.
- Create some space for the steam to escape with the ladle. If you are not creating the space the biryani will not cook properly. Compared to other biryani, this biryani needs this additional step.
Dum cooking biryani
- Close with the lid. Cook for 15 minutes on low flame. Butter chicken biryani is ready to serve. It tastes best when served with Raita & Salad.
Video
Notes
- Make sure the tandoori chicken is completely cooked when you add it to the gravy.
- If you like the taste of mustard oil then only add it to the recipe. Mustard oil has its own flavor & aroma. You can substitute it with normal cooking oil.
- If you have kewra water then add a few drops to the biryani while layering it.
- For pan-frying the chicken, make sure the pan is very hot. It will seal the outer edges of the chicken. The chicken will be crisp outside & nice & moist inside.
- Use long-grain-aged basmati rice to make biryani.
- Before you start layering the biryani, make sure, there should not be too much gravy left at the base of the pan. You can heat it on low heat & reduce the gravy.
- Once you finished assembling & layering the biryani then make some space with the ladle for the heat to escape. Only after that close with the lid & dum cook the biryani. This process is shown in the step-by-step process below & the video.
- Always use a heavy bottom utensil/pan to make biryani.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Preeti
If you love butter chicken but hate making separate curry and rice, my Butter Chicken Biryani recipe gives you both in one pot. So easy, rich, creamy, and tastes delicious. Give it a try, you will love it.
neet and angel apk
Wow, this butter chicken biryani looks amazing! The flavors and textures look so rich and flavorful, I can't wait to try it out at home. The photos and video really make me feel like I'm there, enjoying the dish. Thanks for sharing this recipe, I'm definitely going to give it a try!
Preeti
You're very welcome! I hope you enjoy making this butter chicken biryani at home, and I'd love to hear how it turns out for you.