Chicken Biryani – A Royal Treat from My Sunday Kitchen

🍗 Intro / Story Section:

There’s a reason Chicken Biryani is legendary. It’s not just food — it’s a ritual. For me, biryani means slow Sundays, spice-scented kitchens, and everyone waiting around for “just five more minutes.”

My mother made a version that was neither too spicy nor too mild. It had the perfect balance of heat, tang, aroma, and that rich ghee-glossed finish. We’d eat it with chilled raita and nothing else.

Today, I carry on the tradition — slow-cooked, layered, and always made with love.

🍛 Chicken Biryani Recipe

Serves: 3–4
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins

🛒 Ingredients:

For Chicken Marinade:

500g chicken (bone-in preferred)

½ cup yogurt

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp red chili powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

Salt to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

For Rice:

2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 mins

1 bay leaf, 3 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 1 cinnamon stick

Salt to taste

Other:

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp oil

A few mint & coriander leaves

Optional: saffron soaked in warm milk

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Marinate the Chicken:
Mix all marinade ingredients and let rest for 30 mins (or overnight for deeper flavor).

2. Fry the Onions:
Heat oil + ghee, fry onions till golden & crispy. Set aside half for layering.

3. Cook Chicken:
In the same pan, add marinated chicken. Cook until tender and oil separates.

4. Boil Rice:
In a separate pot, boil soaked rice with whole spices and salt until 80% cooked. Drain and set aside.

5. Layer & Dum Cook:
In a heavy pot, layer chicken, rice, fried onions, herbs, and saffron milk (if using).
Cover tightly and cook on low flame for 20 mins (or use dum method with a hot tawa underneath).

6. Serve Hot:
Gently fluff and serve with raita or salan.

💡 Tips:

Don’t skip soaking the rice — it makes a big difference.

For extra richness, drizzle ghee while layering.

Dum cooking on a hot tawa prevents burning.

❤️ Closing Note:

Chicken Biryani is where patience meets payoff. Every spoonful has a story — of spices, tradition, and love. Make it once, and it may just become your Sunday ritual too.