Step 1

To a bowl, add yogurt, ginger garlic paste, ½ tsp salt, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice & red chili powder.

Step 2

Mix up well and taste the marinade. Add more salt and spice if needed.

Step 3

Make slits on the chicken pieces. Add it to the marinade &mix well. Cover and set aside for 1 hour to overnight.

Step 4

Rinse basmati rice three times and soak for 30 mins. Drain to a colander after 30 mins.

Step 5

Heat ghee or oil in a pot or pressure cooker.

Step 6

Add whole spices - bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, shahi jeera & mace. Skip them if you do not have.

Step 7

When the spices begin to sizzle, add onions & fry them evenly stirring often until uniformly light brown but not burnt.

Step 8

Add chicken & saute until pale for 5 mins on a medium heat.

Step 9

Cover & cook on a low flame until the chicken is soft cooked or tender. Saute to evaporate any excess moisture in the pot.

Step 10

Taste test and add more salt if needed. I add about ¼ teaspoon salt. Add ¼ cup yogurt (curd), 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves, 1 slit green chili, ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder & 1 teaspoon garam masala.

Step 11

Mix everything well and layer chicken evenly at the bottom.

Step 12

Spread drained rice in a layer over the chicken.

Step 13

To a separate bowl, pour 3 cups water. If cooking in a pot use 3 ½ cups water.

Step 14

Add ½ to ¾ tsp salt and mix. Taste the water. It must be slightly salty.

Step 15

Pour 2 cups of this water across the sides of the cooker or pot. Gently pour the rest on top of the rice.

Step 16

Level the rice if needed. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons mint leaves. Optionally add 2 tablespoons fried onions & saffron soaked milk if using.

Step 17

Pot method - If cooking in a pot, cover and cook on a low flame until the chicken biryani is done to your liking. If the rice is still under cooked or hard, pour ¼ to ½ cup boiling water and cook further. When done it has to be fully cooked, yet remain grainy.

Step 18

Cooker method - Set the flame to medium high. Cover & place the whistle. Cook for 1 whistle. Move the cooker away from the burner to stop cooking further.

Step 19

Rest until the pressure settles. Fluff up the chicken biryani with a fork.

Step 20

Serve from top to the bottom layer. Each serving gets biryani rice from top and chicken from the bottom layer.

Step 21

Enjoy chicken biryani with raita and sliced veggies, papad and shorba (biryani gravy).