Mint Lemon Chicken Biriyani

Biriyani is the most preferred food for many. There are several versions of biriyani and in Tamil Nadu itself there are many signature recipes for biriyani like the thalapakatti chicken biriyani, ambur chicken biriyani, chetinad chicken biriyani, vaniyampatti chicken biriyani. Like all I love biriyani too and have a huge list of collections on my website itself.

In Tamilnadu, chicken biriyani is one pot meal where rice is cooked with masala and chicken. In other places, chicken is cooked with masala and layered with rice. I love the one pot meal version. The mint lemon biriyani is a similar one too.

To try something new in the most common food is a challenge. I planned to try a new combo of mint and lemon flavored chicken biriyani. The mint lemon chicken biriyani will be heavenly spiced with strong mint flavor and dash of sourness from fresh lemon added to the biriyani just before serving. The color of the biriyani will be subtle mix of green color from mint and yellow color from turmeric. The flavor was really new and awesome. My family including my 4 year old enjoyed the meal. My aunt was so keen to know the recipe, I promised with the detailed post here. The uncommon food – the mint lemon chicken biriyani.

Ingredients for Mint Lemon Chicken Biriyani:

3 cups of basmati rice
750 g of chicken
1 bunch mint (separate leaves alone wash and set aside)
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Lemon – 2
Cinnamon- 2 (1 inch stick)
Bay Leaf – 5 nos
Cardamom – 5nos
Fennel – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp (fine chop)
Curd – 1 cup
Coconut milk – 2 cups
Water – 3 cups
Onion – 1 cup (thin sliced)
Tomato – 4 nos
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala- ½ tsp
Salt – as per taste
Ghee + Oil -100 ml

Method of cooking Mint Lemon Chicken Biriyani:

Make a paste of mint + 1 cinnamon stick + 2 cloves + 1 green chilly + ginger garlic paste and fennel. Keep this green paste aside.


Heat a pressure cooker with ghee + oil.
Add cinnamon, clove, cardamom, bay leaves and fry well.
Add green paste, onion, salt and fry well till onion is golden brown.
Add tomatoes and cook well till raw smell goes.
Add turmeric, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala.


Fry for a minute and add curd, coconut milk and water.
Add chicken pieces, check salt and adjust.
Let water boil well. Add clean basmati rice.
Pressure cook for 1 whistle and open after pressure comes down.
Open and lemon juice, coriander leaves and a dash of ghee (optional).
Gently mix to coat masala evenly. Serve hot with raita.