Chicken Boneless Juicy Mandi-half Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a large bowl combine yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves (or mandi spice), and mild chili powder or paprika. Mix until smooth. Add crushed cardamom pods and bay leaf if using.

Marinate chicken

Add the boneless chicken pieces to the marinade, turning to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3–6 hours or overnight for best flavor penetration.

Prep saffron

Place saffron threads in a small bowl and pour 2 tablespoons of hot water over them. Let bloom 5–10 minutes to release color and aroma.

Par-cook rice

Drain soaked basmati rice. Bring 2.5 cups water or chicken stock to a gentle boil with 1 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon ghee. Add rice, stir once, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 6–8 minutes until rice is about 70% cooked (kernels still slightly firm). Drain rice in a fine sieve and set aside.

Brown chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon oil or ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and brown pieces in batches without crowding, 2–3 minutes per side until lightly caramelized. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.

Simmer with marinade

In the same pan add the reserved marinade and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil or ghee. Scrape up browned bits and bring to a gentle simmer. Return all browned chicken to the pan, nestle pieces into the sauce, add bay leaf and crushed cardamom if not already in marinade. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10–12 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature ~74°C / 165°F). If sauce is very thick, add 2–4 tablespoons water.

Layer rice and chicken

Remove bay leaf and cardamom pods if desired. Spoon half of the par-cooked rice evenly over the chicken in the pan. Drizzle half of the saffron water over the rice and dot with 1 tablespoon ghee. Add the remaining rice to fully cover the chicken, drizzle remaining saffron water and dot with remaining ghee. Sprinkle fried onions, toasted nuts, chopped cilantro and mint on top.

Dum (steam) cook

Seal the pan with a tight-fitting lid. For a better seal, place a layer of foil between lid and pan. Cook on the stovetop over the lowest heat for 18–22 minutes to allow rice to finish cooking and flavors to meld (or place in a preheated 180°C / 350°F oven for 18 minutes).

Optional smoky finish (kabab mandi style)

If using the charcoal smoke method: heat the small charcoal over a gas flame until red-hot (outdoors or in a well-ventilated area). Place the hot charcoal in a small steel bowl or piece of foil, set it in the center of the rice surface (on top of foil to avoid direct contact). Pour 1 tsp ghee or oil onto the charcoal to create smoke, immediately cover tightly and let rest for 5–7 minutes to infuse smoky aroma. Carefully remove the charcoal before serving.

Rest and fluff

After dum finishes, let the pan rest sealed for 5 minutes. Remove lid, gently fluff rice with a fork to mix layers and redistribute chicken pieces.

Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving platter, arranging chicken pieces on top or mixed through. Garnish with extra fried onions, toasted nuts, chopped cilantro and mint. Serve with lemon wedges and sliced green chili on the side. Offer yogurt raita or salad if desired.