Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 2 lbschicken thighs, bone-in, skinless
• 3 cupsbasmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes
• 1/2 cupplain yogurt
• 1/4 cupginger-garlic paste
• 2 mediumonions, thinly sliced
• 3 largetomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbspgreen chilies, slit
• 1/4 cupmint leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cupcilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 tspsaffron strands, soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk
• 10 wholegreen cardamom
• 4 wholecinnamon sticks
• 6 wholecloves
• 2 wholebay leaves
• 1 tspshahi jeera (caraway seeds)
• 1/2 cupghee or oil
• to tastesalt
• 1 tbspred chili powder
• 1 tspturmeric powder
• 2 tspgaram masala powder
• 2 tbsplime juice
• 2 1/2 cupswater (for rice)
• 1 1/2 cupswater (for chicken layer)
• 1/4 cupfried onions (store-bought or homemade)

Instructions

1. 1
   Marinate chicken: Combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, lime juice, half the mint, half the cilantro, and salt. Add chicken, mix well, cover, and marinate 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. 2
   Prepare saffron: Warm 1/4 cup milk; add saffron and set aside to infuse.
3. 3
   Cook rice: Bring 2.5 cups salted water to a boil with 3 green cardamom, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, and 1 bay leaf. Add drained rice and cook 70%, about 6–7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Rice should have a slight bite.
4. 4
   Caramelize onions: Heat a heavy-bottomed pot (handi). Add ghee, fry sliced onions until deep golden. Reserve one-third for garnish. To the remaining onions in the pot, add marinated chicken, tomatoes, green chilies, and 1.5 cups water. Cook 15–20 minutes until oil separates and chicken is three-quarters done.
5. 5
   Layer biryani: Over the chicken layer, sprinkle remaining mint, cilantro, and fried onions. Gently spoon 70% cooked rice on top. Drizzle saffron-milk mixture and reserved ghee/oil evenly.
6. 6
   Dum (slow cook): Cover pot with tight lid or seal with dough. Cook on high heat 2 minutes, then reduce to very low (simmer). Steam 25–30 minutes. Turn off heat and rest 15 minutes without opening lid.
7. 7
   Serve: Gently mix layers once. Garnish with extra fried onions, mint, and cilantro. Serve hot with raita or mirch ka salan.