Ingredients:
For Marinating Chicken:
500 grams of chicken pieces (bone-in or boneless)
1 cup of yogurt
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
Salt to taste
For the Rice:
2 cups of basmati rice
4 cups of water
2-3 green cardamom pods
2-3 cloves
1-inch cinnamon stick
Salt to taste
For the Biryani:
2 large onions thinly sliced.
2 tomatoes, chopped.
2 green chilies, slit.
1/2 cup of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped.
2 tablespoons cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter)
2 tablespoons of biryani masala (readily available or homemade)
Saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons of warm milk (optional, for garnish)
Instructions:
Marinating the Chicken:
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder,
turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or you can refrigerate it for a few hours for better flavor.
Prepare the Rice
Wash the basmati rice under running water until the water runs clear.
In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
Add the washed rice, green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, and salt.
Cook the rice until it’s 70-80% done (al dente). Drain and set aside.
Cooking the Chicken:
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven.
Add the sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set them aside for garnishing.
Add the marinated chicken and cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is partially cooked.
Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Cook until the tomatoes become soft and the oil separates.
Layering the Biryani:
In the same pot with the chicken, add a layer of cooked rice.
Sprinkle biryani masala, chopped coriander, and mint leaves.
Repeat the process until all the rice is used up.
Top with the fried onions.
Cooking the Biryani:
Seal the pot with a tight-fitting lid or aluminium foil to trap the steam.
Cook on low heat for about 20-25 minutes. You can also place a heavy pan on top of the lid (dum cooking) to ensure a tight seal.
If using saffron, drizzle the saffron-infused milk on top.
Let the biryani rest for 10 minutes before serving. Gently fluff the rice with a fork.
Serving:
Serve your homemade Chicken Biryani hot with raita (yogurt sauce) or a side salad. Enjoy your delicious and aromatic biryani!