Chicken Biryani (Quick and Easy)

Every Friday evenings my family likes something fancy. Before leaving for work, I stood in front of the refrigerator wondering what to make with a tray of chicken that I had purchased the previous day. I didn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen after a long day at work and thought of making something like a one pot meal which would make everyone happy which resulted with this recipe.

When I first tried making Biryani over a decade ago, it was a never ending process and it made me feel I was in the kitchen forever. I found this unplanned recipe very simple and good for any first timers.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, washed & soaked for atleast 10 mins

3 lbs cut up chicken (with bone)

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup coriander leaves (cilantro),chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves

4 green chillies, slit in half

6 cloves

4 green cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp pepper corns

1 medium onion, chopped roughly

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2"ginger, chopped

1 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds) + 1 tsp

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp haldi powder (turmeric)

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder (cumin)

saffron, a pinch

3 tbsp oil

salt
2-3 tbsp milk

food coloring (red/orange)

How it's made:

Marinate chicken for 6 hrs with all the above ingredients except rice, milk and food coloring. In a heavy bottom deep pan, cook marinated chicken until 3/4th done. Do not add water.

While the chicken is cooking, in a separate pot, boil 4 quarts water with a tsp of oil, salt & 1 tsp jeera. {You can add whole garam masala (cloves, pepper corns, cinnamon  cardamom) which is optional}. Add rice & cook until 3/4 done. Drain and set aside.

Warm 2-3 tbsp milk, add food coloring & set aside.

To the 3/4th cooked chicken,(which should have about 1/2-1 cup liquid left behind) add rice and spread evenly. Do not mix with chicken. Pour colored milk on rice. Cover dish with tight fitting lid. Cook on high heat for 2-3 mins. Lower heat to simmer for 15 mins. Mix chicken & rice just before serving.

Serve with raita.

Serves: 6