Chicken Biryani Recipe

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. In a large bowl combine yogurt, 2 tbs vegetable oil, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, ground coriander, 1.5 tsp salt and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 3–4 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch. Soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, then drain.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tsp salt, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Add the drained rice and par-cook until rice is about 70% done (grains still have a slight bite), about 6–7 minutes. Drain rice in a colander and set aside, discarding the whole spices or reserving them for layering if desired.

Heat 4 tbs ghee or oil in a heavy-bottomed large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté, stirring often, until golden brown and caramelized, about 12–15 minutes. Remove half of the onions and set aside for layering and garnish; leave the rest in the pan.

Add the slit green chilies to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds, then add 1 tbs ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Add chopped tomato and cook until softened and oil begins to separate, about 4–5 minutes.

Stir in turmeric (1/2 tsp), red chili powder (1/2 tsp), ground coriander (1 tsp), garam masala (1/2 tsp) and 3/4 tsp salt. Cook 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices.

Add the marinated chicken (with any accumulated juices) to the pan, increase heat to medium-high and brown the pieces for 4–5 minutes, turning so exterior seals. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes until chicken is mostly cooked through (internal juices run clear but not fully falling off bone). Stir in chopped cilantro and mint.

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) if you plan to finish biryani in the oven; alternatively use stove-top dum method with a heavy-bottomed pot and a tight lid.

In the pot with the chicken base, spread half of the partially cooked rice evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle half of the reserved fried onions, half of the saffron milk (steep saffron threads in 3 tbs hot milk for 5 minutes and pour half), half of the lemon juice, a few pinches of garam masala if desired, and a drizzle of ghee (about 1/2 tbs).

Spread the remaining rice to form a second layer. Top with remaining fried onions, the rest of saffron milk, remaining lemon juice, remaining ghee, and a light sprinkling of chopped cilantro and mint.

Seal the pot: cover with a tight-fitting lid. For stronger seal, place a sheet of aluminum foil between pot rim and lid or dampen a kitchen towel and tuck around the lid. Cook on very low heat on the stovetop for 20–25 minutes (dum method). If using the oven, transfer the sealed pot to the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, sealed, for 10 minutes to settle the flavors.

Gently fluff the rice with a wide spatula, taking care to lift from the bottom so chicken and rice layers mix slightly but remain distinct. Transfer to a serving dish.

Drizzle remaining rose water (optional) and garnish with additional fried onions, chopped cilantro, mint and a little extra ghee if desired. Serve hot with raita, salad or pickles.