Chicken Dhonnai Biryani is a beloved Karnataka specialty, made famous by the iconic military hotels of Bengaluru. Unlike the traditional layered biryanis, this version is more of a spicy, one-pot dish where marinated chicken is cooked with seeraga samba rice (jeera rice) and a vibrant green masala made from coriander, mint, green chilies, and whole spices. What truly sets it apart is the way it’s served—in donne, or dried areca palm leaf bowls, which add a distinct earthy aroma. Military hotels have been serving this comforting, no-frills biryani for decades, and it continues to be a staple for anyone seeking an authentic taste of Karnataka’s culinary heritage. This is my version.
Prep One – First, we will make a biryani masala powder and here is what you will need.
Take a heavy bottomed pan and add in all the spices. Dry roast on a low flame till the spices are slightly aromatic. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Once cool, Transfer the contents to a small mixie jar. Grind to a powder. I super love my Panasonic mixie that does a fantastic job. Here is the link to buy if you are looking for a good Indian style mixie – https://amzn.to/3HU7m6U
Prep 2 – We will make a masala paste that gives the biryani its signature yellowish green colour. Here is what you will need.
Heat oil in a pan and add in the ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions. Saute for a few minutes.
Let the veggies slightly char here and there.
Add all the greens and cook for a couple of minutes. Palak in a biryani may be a first for a lot of people but trust me, it works 🙂
Remove the mixture from heat once the greens are wilted. Set aside to cool.
Grind the sauteed veggies to a fine paste. Set aside.
Now lets make the biryani. Here is all the whole spices we will need for the recipe.
Heat ghee and oil in a pan and add in all the whole spices. Saute for a few seconds.
Add the finely chopped onions to the pan.
Saute the onions for a couple of minutes.
Add the turmeric powder and kasuri methi.
Saute for a few seconds.
Add the green masala paste that we prepared earlier.
Wash the mixie with about a quarter cup of water and add back to the pan. We do not want to waste the green gold masala that we made from scratch.
Add the chicken and the salt. Bone in chicken is always preferred as the bone imparts a lot of flavour to the biryani and keeps the meat juicy and soft.
Mix well so all the chicken pieces are well coated in the masala.
Whisk the curd in a bowl. Always whisk the curd before adding so it does not clump up in bits.
Add the whisked curd to the pan.
Mix well to combine.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. Mix well in-between once or twice so the masalas do not scorch at the bottom.
when the chicken cooks, it will leave out water as you can see below.
At this stage, add the prepared masala powder.
Add the lime juice.
Take the chicken pieces out to a plate and measure the liquid left in the pan. Add the chicken pieces back. Add the water as required. For every cup of rice we add, we will need two cups of liquid (water + chicken cooked water in pan).
Let it all come to a boil.
We will be using seeraga samba rice for this recipe. Soak the rice for around 30 minutes. After soaking, completely drain the rice.
Add the rice once the pot is boiling.
Mix well. Let it all come to a boil again.
The cooking of the biryani and “dum” can be done in two ways. I like the OTG method as its fool proof and comes perfect every single time without the rice scorching at the bottom or the rice going mushy. I love the consistency and texture of the cooked rice made using the OTG method.
Stovetop Method:
Once it begins to boil, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Open the lid, gently stir from the bottom, cover again, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Open the lid, stir gently—the rice will be about three-fourths cooked. Simmer for 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat. Cover and let it rest undisturbed for 20 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the remaining moisture and fully cook.
Oven Method (OTG):
Preheat the oven to 200°C for 10 minutes. Once the biryani pot comes to a boil, cover the pot tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest, covered, for another 20 minutes before serving. This method ensures perfectly cooked rice without the risk of burning at the bottom.
After taking the pot out of the oven, do not disturb or open the pot for 20 minutes. Let it rest.
Our Chicken dhonnai biryani is ready.
Fluff up the biryani, serve hot and enjoy.
Chicken Palav | Dhonnai Biryani Recipe
Chicken Dhonnai Biryani AKA Chicken Palav – A detailed recipe for making at home from scratch.
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorn
2 cloves
1/2 inch piece cassia cinnamon
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
Prep Two – Biryani Masala Paste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
5 sprigs mint leaves
5 sprigs coriander leaves
10 small palak leaves
1/2 cup onions, chopped
6 green chillies
1 pod garlic
3/4 inch piece ginger, chopped
Other Ingredients
3 tablespoon ghee
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 inch piece cassia cinnamon
2 cardamom
1 star anise
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cloves
2 kapok buds​
1 big pinch of kalpasi
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 big pinch of kasuri methi
1/2 cup plain curd / yogurt
1 lime, juiced
1.5 teaspoon salt
3/4 kg bone-in chicken
2 cups seeraga samba rice
Water as required (explained below)
Instructions
Prep One
Take a heavy bottomed pan and add in all the spices. Dry roast on a low flame till the spices are slightly aromatic. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Once cool, Transfer the contents to a small mixie jar. Grind to a powder.Â
Prep TwoÂ
Heat oil in a pan and add in the ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions. Saute for a few minutes. Let the veggies slightly char here and there.
Add all the greens and cook for a couple of minutes. Palak in a biryani may be a first for a lot of people but trust me, it works 🙂 Remove the mixture from heat once the greens are wilted. Set aside to cool. Grind the sauteed veggies to a fine paste. Set aside.
Now lets make the biryani.
Heat ghee and oil in a pan and add in all the whole spices. Saute for a few seconds. Add the finely chopped onions to the pan. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric powder and kasuri methi. Saute for a few seconds.
Add the green masala paste that we prepared earlier. Wash the mixie with about a quarter cup of water and add back to the pan. We do not want to waste the green gold masala that we made from scratch.
Add the chicken and the salt. Bone in chicken is always preferred as the bone imparts a lot of flavour to the biryani and keeps the meat juicy and soft. Mix well so all the chicken pieces are well coated in the masala. Whisk the curd in a bowl. Always whisk the curd before adding so it does not clump up in bits. Add the whisked curd to the pan. Mix well to combine.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. Mix well in-between once or twice so the masalas do not scorch at the bottom. At this stage, add the prepared masala powder. Add the lime juice.
Take the chicken pieces out to a plate and measure the liquid left in the pan. Add the chicken pieces back. Add the water as required. For every cup of rice we add, we will need two cups of liquid (water + chicken cooked water in pan). Let it all come to a boil.
Soak the rice for around 30 minutes. After soaking, completely drain the rice. Add the rice once the pot is boiling. Mix well. Let it all come to a boil again.
The cooking of the biryani and “dum” can be done in two ways. I like the OTG method as its fool proof and comes perfect every single time without the rice scorching at the bottom or the rice going mushy.Â
Stovetop Method:
Once it begins to boil, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Open the lid, gently stir from the bottom, cover again, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Open the lid, stir gently—the rice will be about three-fourths cooked. Simmer for 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat. Cover and let it rest undisturbed for 20 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the remaining moisture and fully cook.
Oven Method (OTG):
Preheat the oven to 200°C for 10 minutes. Once the biryani pot comes to a boil, cover the pot tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest, covered, for another 20 minutes before serving. This method ensures perfectly cooked rice without the risk of burning at the bottom.
After taking the pot out of the oven, do not disturb or open the pot for 20 minutes. Let it rest.
Our Chicken dhonnai biryani is ready.
Fluff up the biryani, serve hot and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
Absolutely loved this recipe! The idea of serving Chicken Palav in traditional dhonnai (eco-friendly bowls made from dried leaves) brings such a nostalgic and authentic South Indian touch. The flavors were spot on – aromatic, rich, and perfectly balanced. I especially appreciated the use of whole spices and the detailed step-by-step instructions. It’s not just a meal, it’s a cultural experience! Looking forward to trying more traditional recipes like this. Thanks for sharing!