Thought for Today

Thought for Today

Chicken Biryani Recipe

Chicken Biryani Recipe

Ingredients:

For Marinating Chicken:

  • 500 grams chicken, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup yogurt (curd)
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder
  • Salt to taste

For Biryani Masala:

  • 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/4 cup fried onions (optional)
  • 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Whole spices (2 bay leaves, 4 cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, 2-inch cinnamon stick)
  • Salt to taste

For Layering:

  • Saffron strands soaked in warm milk
  • Fried onions (optional)
  • Chopped coriander leaves
  • Chopped mint leaves

Instructions:

  1. Marinate Chicken:
    • In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, biryani masala powder, and salt. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  2. Prepare Rice:
    • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add soaked and drained basmati rice along with whole spices (bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick), and salt to taste. Cook until the rice is 70-80% done. Drain and set aside.
  3. Prepare Biryani Masala:
    • Heat ghee and oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or pot over medium heat.
    • Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
    • Add chopped tomatoes, green chilies, chopped mint leaves, and chopped coriander leaves. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the masala is fragrant.
  4. Cook Marinated Chicken:
    • Add the marinated chicken to the pan with the masala. Cook until the chicken is almost cooked through and the masala thickens. This may take about 10-12 minutes.
  5. Layering:
    • In a separate large heavy-bottomed pot, spread a layer of cooked rice at the bottom.
    • Spread a layer of cooked chicken masala over the rice.
    • Repeat the layers until all the rice and chicken masala are used up. Ensure that the top layer is rice.
  6. Garnish:
    • Drizzle saffron-infused milk over the top layer of rice.
    • Sprinkle fried onions (optional), chopped coriander leaves, and chopped mint leaves over the rice.
  7. Dum Cooking (Slow Cooking):
    • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or seal it with aluminum foil to trap the steam.
    • Place the pot over low heat and let it cook on dum for about 20-25 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the rice to absorb the aroma of the spices.
  8. Serve:
    • Once done, remove the lid and gently fluff the biryani with a fork.
    • Serve hot Chicken Biryani with raita, pickle, or salad.

Enjoy the aromatic and flavorful Chicken Biryani, a quintessential dish in South Indian cuisine!