Chicken Biryani Recipe

Ingredients 

To marinate the chicken

• 750 g Chicken On Bone (cut into medium pieces)
• ¾ cup Yogurt (Curd) (whisked well)
• ¾ tablespoon Garlic Paste
• ¾ tablespoon Ginger Paste
• 2 teaspoons Red Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 2 teaspoons Coriander Powder
• 3 – 4 Green Chilies (slit or chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
• Salt to Taste
• 3 tablespoons Brown Onions
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 2 tablespoons Oil

For Rice

• 3 Cups Long Grain Rice (approx 650- 700 gms) (preferably aged basmati rice)
• 1½-2 tablespoons Salt (only for stove top method) (water should taste extra salty)
• Water as needed

To cook marinated chicken

• 2 tablespoons Oil
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1 Onion (large sized, finely sliced)
• 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds or Cumin Seeds (Shajeera)
• 1½ inch Cinnamon Stick
• 5 Green Cardamom
• 8-10 Black Peppercorns
• 6-8 Cloves
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Star Anise

For Layering

• ⅓ cup Brown Onions or Caramalised Onions
• ½ cup Mint Leaves
• ½ cup Coriander Leaves
• A pinch of Saffron soaked in 2 tbsp of warm Milk
• 2 tablespoons Ghee

Instructions

Preparation and marination

1. Clean and wash the chicken well, drain the water completely.
2. Add chicken and all the ingredients mentioned under marination and mix well.
3. Cover and allow it to rest for 30 minutes under refrigeration.
4. Clean, wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.

Making biryani

1. In a pot, add enough water and salt. Bring the water to a boil and add strained rice.
2. Cook the rice until 70 percent done. Strain all the water from the cooked rice. Set it aside
3. In a heavy bottom pot, heat oil and ghee together.
4. Add sliced onion and fry until they just start to pick the golden colour.
5. Then, add the marinated chicken along with all the whole spices.
6. Mix and cook on high for 1-2 minutes.
7. Then, cover and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on low.

Layering the chicken and rice

1. Sprinkle fried onions, chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves over the cooked chicken.
2. Layer the cooked rice on the top of the chicken evenly.
3. Pour soaked saffron and melted ghee over the rice.
4. Cover the pot with tight fitting lid.
5. Slow cook (dum) the biryani for 15 minutes. Switch off the heat.
6. Allow it to rest for 5-7 minutes. Dish out and serve hot with raita of your choice.