Juicy marinated chicken cooked with aromatic basmati rice, caramelized onions, yogurt, and rich Indian spices. Layered and dum-steamed to perfection for a deeply flavorful dish.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade:
500g chicken (bone-in preferred)
1/2 cup thick yogurt
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala or biryani masala
Salt to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
Fresh coriander and mint leaves, chopped
For the Rice:
1.5 cups basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes)
5 cups water (for boiling rice)
2–3 green cardamoms
4 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
Other Ingredients:
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp ghee or oil
A few strands of saffron soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk (optional)
Extra fresh mint and coriander leaves for layering
Fried onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Marinate Chicken:
In a bowl, mix all marinade ingredients.
Add chicken and coat well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for deeper flavor).
2. Cook Rice:
Boil water with salt, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon.
Add soaked basmati rice and cook until 70–80% done (grains should be firm).
Drain and set aside.
3. Prepare Chicken:
Heat ghee/oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Fry sliced onions until golden brown and crisp; remove half for garnishing.
In the same pan, add marinated chicken and cook on medium flame for 8–10 minutes or until 70% cooked.
4. Layering:
Lower the flame.
Spread a layer of half-cooked rice over the chicken.
Sprinkle mint, coriander, fried onions, and saffron milk.
Repeat with another layer of rice and toppings.
5. Dum Cooking (Steaming):
Cover the pan tightly with a lid (or seal the edges with dough).
Cook on very low flame for 20–25 minutes.
(Tip: Place the pan on a tawa/griddle to prevent direct heat.)
6. Rest and Serve:
Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Fluff gently with a fork.
Serve hot with raita, salad, or a boiled egg on the side.
Tip: For a richer biryani, add a few cashews and raisins fried in ghee on top before serving!
