Mowgli Chicken Biryani Recipe

Combine and marinate

In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt with ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Add chicken pieces and toss until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight for best flavor penetration.

Soak rice

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove surface starch. Soak the rinsed rice in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain.

Par-cook rice

Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tsp salt, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves. Add drained rice and cook uncovered until the rice is about 70% cooked (grains should still have a slight core) — about 6–8 minutes depending on rice brand. Drain the rice in a colander and discard the whole spices or keep them for layering if preferred.

Cook onions and spices

Heat 4 tbs oil and 2 tbs butter in a heavy deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown — about 10–12 minutes. Remove one-third of the browned onions for garnish (set aside with fried onions if making birista).

Add tomatoes and spices

Add finely chopped tomato and slit green chilies to the pan and cook 3–4 minutes until tomatoes soften. Stir in biryani masala powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 2 minutes until the spices release their aroma.

Cook the marinated chicken

Add the marinated chicken and any accumulated marinade to the pot. Increase heat to medium-high and sear the pieces for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water or chicken stock, reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 8–10 minutes until chicken is almost cooked through (internal pieces should be tender but not falling apart). Stir in chopped coriander and mint leaves and remove from heat.

Prepare saffron milk

Lightly crush saffron strands between your fingers and steep them in 3 tbs warm milk for 5 minutes to release color and aroma.

Layer the biryani

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) if you will finish in the oven, or prepare for stovetop dum. In the pot with the chicken base (or in a clean heavy-bottomed pot if transferring), spread half of the par-cooked rice over the chicken in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the reserved browned onions and half of the fried onions, a few tablespoons of chopped coriander and mint, and drizzle half of the saffron milk and 1 tbs ghee. Repeat with the remaining rice to form a second layer, then top with remaining fried onions, reserved browned onions, remaining herbs, the rest of the saffron milk, remaining ghee, and optional 1 tsp rose or kewra water.

Seal and cook (dum)

To trap steam (dum), cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Optionally seal the lid with dough or heavy aluminum foil. Place the sealed pot on a heavy tawa (griddle) over very low heat and cook for 25–30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and rice to finish cooking. Alternatively, place the sealed pot in the preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for 20–25 minutes.

Rest and serve

Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, sealed, for 10 minutes. Remove seal and gently fluff the rice with a fork, taking care not to break the grains. Serve hot, garnished with extra fried onions, chopped coriander, and a drizzle of melted butter or ghee if desired.