It is widely believed that Chicken Biryani or Biryani was brought to India by Persian invaders and got absorbed in Indian culture during the Mughal era. Biryani is derived from a Persian word “birian” which literally translates to “Fried before Cooking”. Biryani in itself is a wholesome meal containing vegetables, meat and rice cooked with delicious and aromatic spices and dry fruits. There are many variants of Biryani ranging from famous Dindigul South Indian Biryani to Lucknowi and Mughali Biryanis.

We Indians have our own versions of biryanis like Chicken 65 biryani, Veg Biryani, Paneer Biryani, etc. Although the above is widely believed, there are records of many travellers visiting the royal courts of India even before the Mughals and describing rice dishes similar to biryani having a mix of flavourful and aromatic spices, rice, meat, dry fruits and vegetables. The oldest record dates back to 2 C.E.

Below is my recipe of Chicken Biryani that I cook and would like to share with you today. I hope you find this recipe delicious. Do leave your feedbacks in the comment section below.

Serves	4
Preparation Time	1 hour
Marination Time	3 – 4 hours, better if kept overnight
Cooking Time	25-30 minutes

Step 1 – Marination

Ingredients:

1. Chicken cut into medium pieces – 1 Kg. approx.
2. Thick Curd / Hung Curd – 1 cup
3. Clarified Butter (Ghee) – 1 tbsp
4. Red Chilli Powder – 1 tbsp
5. Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
6. Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
7. Biryani Masala – 1 tbsp
8. Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
9. Chopped Coriander and Mint Leaves – Handful
10. Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
11. Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Take curd in a mixing bowl and add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, biryani masala, garam masala, and salt and mix well.
2. Then add ghee, chopped coriander and mint leaves, and lemon juice and mix well to get a consistent mixture.
3. Add chicken pieces to the curd and coat well.
4. Keep the marination for at least 3 – 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Tip: Marination will taste much better if kept overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 2 – Rice Preparation

Ingredients:

1. Any long grain basmati rice – 1 Kg
2. Clarified Butter (Ghee) – 1 tbsp
3. Bay leaves – 2
4. Cloves – 5-6
5. Cardamom – 2
6. Cinnamon – 1 inch
7. Star Anise – 1
8. Black Cumin Seeds (Shahi Jeera) – 2 tsp
9. Salt – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash the rice thoroughly and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. Boil approximately 10-12 cups of water on high flame, then add ghee, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, black cumin seeds and salt.
3. Add rice and cover with the lid. Reduce the heat to low after one boil and cook till rice is 80 percent done.
4. Strain excess water. Keep 1 cup of this water aside. Optionally, you can remove all the whole spices or leave it as it is. Rinse the rice with cold water to arrest further cooking.

Step 3 – Putting it all together

Ingredients:

1. Clarified Butter (Ghee) – 3 tbsp
2. Saffron – 7-8 threads
3. Medium Sized Onions – 4
4. Slit Green Chilli – 2
5. Chopped Coriander and Mint Leaves – Handful

Method:

1. Mix saffron threads in approx. 100 ml lukewarm water and keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cut 2 onions into thin slices and deep fry on high flame till it turns dark brown and crisp. Keep these aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp Ghee in a pot / pan on high flame and the 2 onions thinly sliced. Cook till the onions turn light brown.
4. Add the marinated chicken with all the marination in the pot / pan. Cook the marinated chicken on medium – high heat for 5-7 minutes. Keep stirring the chicken. Once cooked, keep the chicken aside.
5. Add the 1 cup water that you had kept aside from the boiled rice earlier and then, add a layer of half of the rice in the pot / pan, then add the chicken layer on top of it. Then add half of the fried onions, coriander and mint leaves.
6. Add another layer of remaining rice, and top it up with remaining fried onions, coriander and mint leaves. Spread the saffron water on top of rice. Add the slit green chillies. Add 1 tbsp Ghee on top.
7. Cover the pot / pan with lid and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. After turning the heat, let it rest for 8-10 minutes and then open the lid.
8. Serve hot with curd or raita, onions, lemons or any other condiments of your choice.