make chicken briyani at home

Ingredients:

For the Rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice
• Water for soaking
• Water for cooking rice
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 4-5 green cardamom pods
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2-inch cinnamon stick
• Salt to taste

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 500g chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander and mint leaves (for garnish)

For Biryani Masala:

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup fried onions (optional, for garnish)
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup cooking oil or ghee

Whole Spices:

• 2-3 bay leaves
• 4-5 green cardamom pods
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2-inch cinnamon stick

Instructions:

Preparing the Rice:

1. Wash the basmati rice in cold water until the water runs clear.
2. Soak the rice in water for about 30 minutes.
3. In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, and salt.
4. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.
5. Cook the rice until it is 70-80% cooked (it should still have a slight bite to it). Drain the water and set aside.

Marinating the Chicken:

1. In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt.
2. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Cooking the Chicken:

1. Heat oil or ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pan.
2. Add the whole spices (bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon) and sauté until fragrant.
3. Add sliced onions and cook until golden brown.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
5. Add the marinated chicken and cook until it is browned and cooked through.
6. Stir in chopped coriander and mint leaves.

Assembling and Dum Cooking:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a large ovenproof dish, layer half of the partially cooked rice at the bottom.
3. Spread the cooked chicken mixture evenly over the rice layer.
4. Top with the remaining rice and spread it evenly.
5. Garnish with fried onions, chopped coriander, and mint leaves.
6. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil or a lid.
7. Place the biryani in the preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the rice to cook completely.

Serve the chicken biryani hot with raita or a side salad. Enjoy your homemade biryani!