Chicken Biryani Recipe

Sure, here's a simple chicken biryani recipe:

Ingredients:

For Marinating Chicken:
- 500g chicken, cut into pieces
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste

For Rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- Water for soaking and cooking
- Whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods)

For Biryani Assembly:
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1/4 cup ghee or vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands (soaked in warm milk)
- Fried onions (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, mix yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, coat well, and let it marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Prepare the rice: Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for about 30 minutes. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the soaked rice and whole spices. Cook the rice until it's about 70% cooked. Drain and set aside.

3. Fry the onions: Heat ghee or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnishing.

4. Cook the chicken: In the same pot, add the marinated chicken and cook until it's no longer pink. Add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies, mint leaves, and coriander leaves. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked through.

5. Layer the biryani: In the pot with the cooked chicken, start by layering half of the partially cooked rice. Sprinkle some saffron milk and fried onions. Layer the remaining rice on top. Again, sprinkle saffron milk and fried onions.

6. Dum cooking: Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. You can also seal the edges with dough to prevent steam from escaping. Cook the biryani on very low heat (dum) for about 20-25 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together.

7. Serve: Once done, gently fluff the biryani with a fork. Serve the chicken biryani hot with raita or salan (spicy gravy).

Enjoy your homemade chicken biryani!

Note: Biryani is a versatile dish, and there are many variations. You can adjust the spices and ingredients to suit your taste.