Chicken Biryani – Authentic Indian Style

Step 1: Toast Spices

Add cinnamon sticks (broken), bay leaf (torn), star anise, cardamom pods, mace, cloves, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, black peppercorns, black cardamom, and coriander seeds to a pan. Turn the heat to medium-medium low. Toast until the spices are fragrant, you hear crackling sounds, and they start to jump in the pan. Immediately pour the toasted spices into a mortar. Grate fresh nutmeg into the mortar (after toasting to prevent burning). Grind the spices in the mortar until fully ground.

Step 2: Marinate Chicken

In a bowl, add yogurt, ginger garlic paste, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, a few scoops of the freshly ground biryani spice mix, and a pinch of salt. Split open a few green chilies and add them to the bowl. Mix until the marinade is evenly combined. Add bone-in chicken pieces to the marinade. Mix thoroughly with your hands, ensuring every piece of chicken is fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 3: Cook Chicken

Add ghee to a biryani pot over medium-medium high heat. Once the ghee is melted, place the marinated chicken skin-side down in an even layer across the bottom of the pot. Pour all the remaining spiced yogurt marinade over the chicken. Cook for about 30-45 minutes.

Step 4: Fry Onions

Peel the onions. Slice the onions thinly using a mandoline (they should be thin but not too thin). Add oil to a separate pan. Add the sliced onions straight into the cold oil. Turn the heat to low. Cook low and slow until the onions are golden and crispy. Once golden and crispy, remove the onions from the oil using a slotted spoon and spread them out on paper towels to drain and crisp up further. Set aside.

Step 5: Prepare Basmati Rice

Measure out a few cups of basmati rice into a large bowl. Cover with water and rinse multiple times until the water runs mostly clear. Let the rice soak for about 30 minutes. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add some of the same whole spices used earlier (cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, black peppercorns, black cardamom, mace) to the boiling water. Add a generous amount of salt to the water. Add the soaked rice to the boiling water. Bring to a hard simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the rice is about 75% cooked (soft on the outside, a little hard on the inside). Taste as you go. Pour the rice into a colander to strain out all the extra liquid. Pick out any large whole spices from the rice. Spread the cooked rice onto a sheet tray to dry.

Step 6: Layer and Bake (Dum Method)

Make saffron milk: crush saffron into warm milk, mix, and set aside to bloom. Prepare fresh herbs: pick mint leaves and shave/chop cilantro leaves. Ensure the cooked chicken is evenly spread in the biryani pot. Sprinkle half of the crispy fried onions evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle mint and cilantro evenly over the onions. Add the cooked rice in a very even layer over the herbs, ensuring to cover the corners. Drizzle the saffron milk over the rice, leaving some parts white for a speckled pattern. Sprinkle the remaining crispy onions over the saffron milk. Drizzle a little of the onion-flavored oil (from frying the onions) over the top. Top with more mint, cilantro, and a sprinkle of the biryani seasoning. Make the dough lid: In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour and water, mixing until it forms a dough that holds together. Knead the dough on a floured surface. Roll out the dough into a circle, just big enough to drape over the sides of the biryani pot. Drape the dough over the biryani pot, stretching it to pull it nice and tight. Squeeze all around the edges to secure it, creating a hard, airtight seal. Brush a little ghee all around the dough lid for a beautiful golden-brown finish and to prevent cracking. Place the biryani pot into the oven to bake until the lid has formed large bubbles and is golden brown. Carefully cut around the edges of the dough lid to open it. Serve by scooping from the bottom to get chicken and sauce, then rice from the top. Optionally, serve with a side of onion raita (yogurt, onion, herbs, biryani spice blend).

• When toasting spices, start with larger spices first and pay attention to the aroma and crackling sounds as a cue for doneness.

• Use bone-in chicken for biryani to prevent it from drying out during cooking.

• Start frying onions in cold oil to allow them to soften gradually before crisping up.

• Rinse basmati rice multiple times until the water runs mostly clear, then soak for 30 minutes to ensure long, fluffy grains.

• When layering the rice, leave some parts white and cover others with saffron milk to create a beautiful speckled pattern.

• Drizzle a little of the onion-flavored oil over the rice layer for added depth of flavor.

• The dough lid (dum method) traps steam, keeping the biryani moist and tender; ensure a tight seal around the pot.

• Some people prefer to make multiple layers of chicken, rice, and other ingredients instead of a single layer of each.

• Pre-fried onions can be purchased to save time, though frying them at home offers a fresher taste.

• Boneless chicken can be used, but it is not recommended as it tends to dry out more easily.