Chicken Biryani

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pinches saffron
• 2 green cardamom
• 1/2 cup ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 2 cup basmati rice

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 4 red chilli
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup milk
• For Marination

  • 1 kilograms chicken
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • salt as required
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder

  • 1 cup yoghurt (curd)
  • 1/2 cup mustard oil
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon powdered star anise

  For Garnishing

  • 1 cup thinly sliced onion
  • 1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves

  • 1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kasoori methi powder
  How to make Chicken Biryani

  • Step 1

    Chicken Biryani is a classic one pot meal that can easily be made if you know the right proportion of rice, meat and spices. To make this quick Chicken Biryani recipe, first clean and wash chicken under running water. Pat dry with a kitchen towel and keep aside.

  • Step 2

    Now add all the marination ingredients in it. Rub well with your fingers so that the marination spreads evenly. Ideally you should leave marinated chicken in the refrigerator overnight. If you have sudden guests coming then, use a fork to bore holes in the chicken, marinate and keep aside for 1-2 hours.

  • Step 3

    Meanwhile par boil the rice and keep aside, spread on a plate. If you overcook your rice, it will turn pasty when mixed with the chicken. Dissolve the saffron in ¼ cup milk. Heat some ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and the raisins.

  • Step 4

    Thinly slice the onions and fry them in the same ghee. Reserve half of the onions and keep aside. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come down to room temperature. This step is important for the proper cooking of the chicken. Heat ghee in a deep bottomed vessel. It should have a tight fitting lid.

  • Step 5

    Once the ghee is sufficiently hot, add the whole spices-cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamoms, cumin. Allow them to splutter. Add whole red chillies and the marinated chicken. Add the onions, ginger and garlic paste and cook covered till the chicken is tender.

  • Step 6

    Now add garam masala and roast the chicken till the entire water is absorbed and oil separates from it. Remove the chicken from the pan. In the same pan add a layer of cooked rice, followed by a layer of chicken and then again a layer of rice. Between each layer, sprinkle some dry fruits.

  • Step 7

    The topmost layer should that be of rice. Now add the kesar dissolved milk and cream. Pour this evenly over the rice. Cover the lid and cook on low flame for 10-12 minutes. Remove from fire and garnish with onions, mint, kasoori methi, coriander and serve hot with raita.