Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 750 g Basmati rice (Wash 2‑3 times, soak 20 min before cooking)
• 1 kg Raw chicken (bone‑in pieces) (Cut into 80‑100 g pieces)
• 4 inches Cinnamon sticks (Whole sticks, divided between rice and chicken)
• 1 piece Star anise (Whole)
• 10 pieces Cloves
• 17 pods Green cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Fennel seeds
• 2 tsp Salt (For chicken marination)
• 1 tsp Rock salt (For rice)
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Red chilli powder
• 4 tbsp Ginger‑garlic paste
• 30 ml Fresh lemon juice (20 ml for chicken, 10 ml for rice)
• 2 tbsp Green chilli paste (Made from 10 medium green chillies)
• 1 cup Fried onions (Approximately 300 g, fried until golden)
• 100 g Oil from fried onions (Approximately 7 tbsp, reserved for rice)
• 250 g Curd (plain yogurt)
• 1.5 cup Fresh coriander leaves (Chopped; 1 cup for chicken, ½ cup for rice)
• 2 cup Fresh mint leaves (Chopped; 1 cup for chicken, 1 cup for rice)
• 1 tsp Shahjeera (black cumin)
• 6 pieces Green chillies (Finely chopped for rice)
• 3 tbsp Oil (For rice cooking)
• 7-8 glasses Water (For boiling rice (approx 1.8 L))
• 2 glasses Water (For cooking chicken (approx 500 ml))

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the rice

   Rinse the basmati rice in cold water 2‑3 times until the water runs clear. Transfer to a bowl, cover with fresh water and let soak for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

2. Prepare the whole‑spice blend

   Combine 2 inches cinnamon, 1 star anise, 6‑7 cloves, 10 green cardamom pods, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tbsp fennel seeds in a spice grinder or mortar. Grind to a fine powder and set aside.

   Time: PT10M

3. Fry the onions

   Heat 2‑3 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 300 g thinly sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and crisp (about 12‑15 minutes). Remove half for garnish and reserve the oil (≈100 g) for the rice.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: Medium flame

4. Make green chilli paste

   Blend 10 medium green chillies (with stems removed) into a smooth paste, adding a splash of water if needed.

   Time: PT5M

5. Marinate the chicken

   In a large bowl combine 1 kg chicken pieces, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp turmeric, 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 4 tbsp ginger‑garlic paste, the whole‑spice powder from step 2, 20 ml lemon juice, green chilli paste, 1 cup fried onions, 250 g curd, 1 cup chopped coriander, 1 cup chopped mint, and the reserved fried‑onion oil (100 g). Mix vigorously for 3 minutes, then let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

6. Boil spiced water for the rice

   In a saucepan bring 7‑8 glasses (≈1.8 L) water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tsp shahjeera, 1 cup mint, ½ cup coriander, 6 chopped green chillies, 2 inches cinnamon, 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp rock salt, 3 tbsp oil, and 10 ml lemon juice. Stir and boil uncovered for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: High flame

7. Par‑cook the rice

   Drain the soaked rice and add it to the spiced boiling water. Cook uncovered on high flame for 10‑12 minutes, or until the grains are about 70 % done (still firm in the center). Drain and set aside.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: High flame

8. Cook the marinated chicken

   Transfer the marinated chicken (including all juices) to the large pot. Cover tightly and cook on high flame for 3 minutes. Add 2 inches cinnamon, 3 cardamom pods and 6 cloves, re‑cover and cook on medium flame for another 3 minutes. Pour in 2 glasses (≈500 ml) water, re‑cover and bring to a boil, then simmer on high flame for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let the gravy thicken for 5 minutes, stirring gently.

   Time: PT11M

   Temperature: High then medium then low flame

9. Layer and finish the biryani (dum)

   Remove half of the cooked chicken and set aside. Spread the par‑cooked rice evenly over the remaining chicken in the pot. Sprinkle the reserved fried onions, remaining fresh mint and coriander on top. Cover the pot with a tight‑fitting lid (or seal with dough), reduce heat to the lowest setting, and let steam (dum) for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: Low flame

10. Serve

    Gently fluff the biryani before serving. Garnish with the remaining fried onions and a wedge of lemon if desired.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

550

Protein

30g

Carbohydrates

70g

Fat

15g

Fiber

3g