How to cook chicken biryani at home, chicken biryani

 Cooking chicken biryani at home is a rewarding and delicious experience! Here’s a simple recipe to make flavorful chicken biryani:

 For the chicken marinad

Ingredients:

• - 500g chicken (cut into pieces)
• - 1 cup yogurt
• - 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• - 1 tablespoon red chili powder
• - 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• - 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• - Salt to taste
• - Fresh coriander and mint leaves (chopped)
• - 1-2 green chilies (slit)

 For the rice:

• - 2 cups Basmati rice
• - Water (for soaking and boiling rice)
• - 2-3 bay leaves
• - 4-5 cloves
• - 1 cinnamon stick
• - 1-2 cardamom pods
• - Salt to taste

 For the biryani:

• - 2 large onions (thinly sliced)
• - 2-3 tablespoons ghee or oil
• - 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• - 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• - 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• - 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• - Fresh coriander and mint leaves (for garnishing)
• - Saffron strands soaked in milk (optional)

Instructions:

 1. *Marinate the Chicken:* - In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, lemon juice, and salt. - Add chopped mint, coriander leaves, and slit green chilies.  - Cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge for better flavor).

 2. *Prepare the Rice:* - Wash the basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for about 30 minutes.- Boil a pot of water with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.- Add the soaked rice and cook until it's 70-80% cooked (it should still be firm).- Drain the rice and set aside.

3. *Fry the Onions:*- In a pan, heat oil or ghee and fry the thinly sliced onions until golden brown and crispy. Remove them and set aside for garnishing later.

 4. *Cook the Chicken:* - In the same pan, add a little more oil/ghee and cook the marinated chicken over medium heat. - Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes. - Add chopped tomatoes, cumin powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Cook the chicken until it's tender and the oil separates from the gravy (about 10-15 minutes).

 5. *Layer the Biryani:*- In a large pot or a pressure cooker, layer the cooked chicken at the bottom. - Then, add the partially cooked rice over the chicken  - Sprinkle some fried onions, chopped mint, and coriander leaves on top. If you're using saffron milk, drizzle it over the rice for color and fragrance.- Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook on low heat for about 20-30 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, don’t use the weight, and cook on low for about 15-20 minutes.

 6. *Final Steps:*- Once done, let the biryani rest for a few minutes before serving. - Gently fluff the rice with a fork.

 Serving- Serve your chicken biryani with raita (yogurt mixed with cucumber, mint, and spices) or a simple salad.