Chicken:

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3 lb bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and/or drumsticks

1 c whole-milk yogurt

2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste

4-6 green chilies (Thai?), sliced lengthwise

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

2 tsp salt

3 large onions, thinly sliced and fried until deeply golden

1 c fresh mint leaves

1 c fresh cilantro

¼ c ghee

¼ c neutral oil

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Rice:

3 c aged basmati rice

3 Tbsp salt, for the cooking water

6-8 green cardamom pods

1 black cardamom pod

6-8 cloves

2" cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1 tsp shahi jeera (black cumin seeds)

1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)

8-10 black peppercorns

1 small star anise

1 blade mace

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Assembly:

½ tsp saffron

¼ c warm whole milk

2 Tbsp melted ghee

½ tsp rose water

Reserved fried onions

Reserved mint and cilantro

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1. Rinse and soak rice in cold water for 30-45 minutes.

2. Chicken: Combine chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, lemon juice, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala, and salt. Mix in about ⅔ of the fried onions, ¾ c each of mint and cilantro, ghee and oil. Marinate at least 2 hours, but overnight is ideal.

3. Rice: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt, green and black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, black cumin, cumin, peppercorns, star anise and mace. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Cook until the grains are roughly 60-70% cooked, about 5 minutes. It should be tender on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain immediately.

4. Assembly: Spread the marinated raw chicken evenly across the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven. Cover with the partially cooked rice.

5. Steep saffron in warm milk for 15 minutes. Drizzle it over the rice along with melted ghee and the rose water. Finish with the remaining fried onions, mint and cilantro.

6. Cover tightly with a lid. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes to build steam, then reduce to LOW and cook for another 30-40 minutes. Do your best to not open it mid-cook. I covered my dutch oven with foil to prevent steam from escaping.

7. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 15 minutes. Check that the chicken has reached at least 165°F, then gently lift the biryani from the bottom rather than stirring it, because you want the white, yellow, and deeply spiced rice to stay somewhat distinct when serving.

Tags: chicken, dinner, egg-free, eggless, gluten-free, Indian, main, rice

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