Shahi chicken biryani is one of the most exquisite rice dishes, flaunting tender chicken amidst fragrant basmati rice scented with luscious spices and saffron. Brought forward by Mughlai cuisine, this biryani is often prepared on special occasions and feasts because of its rich ingredients and tasteful cooking procedure. Shahi chicken biryani recipe gathers marinated chicken, yoghurt, and a mix of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves. These ingredients form a delicious, flavourful base that goes exceptionally well with the rice. Good marination is the critical point to ensure that the chicken is tender and full of flavour. Usually, chicken is marinated in a mixture of yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, and a selection of spices, letting the chicken enjoy those rich flavours before cooking. After layering the cooked chicken with partially cooked rice, saffron-infused milk, and fried onions, the recipe of shahi chicken biryani calls for this method of layering to allow the spices and aromas to seep into the rice, thus preparing a fragrant and flavourful biryani. The assembled biryani is slow-cooked so that flavours merge well. The final result is a dish rich in aroma and taste, with the silky tender pieces of chicken nestled in perfectly cooked, spiced rice. Garnish with fried onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to enhance flavour. Biryani shahi chicken is perfect for festive meals and will impress the guests with its royal taste and delightful aroma.

• 500 gms chicken
• Rice-basmati rice basmati rice: 2 cups, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 onions
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• Saffron strands
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt

• For Shahi chicken biryani, begin by marinating the chicken.
• Now, take a big bowl and mix fresh yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, and a pinch of salt. Add a little bit of lemon juice to bring some acidity to it.
• Then, add the pieces of chicken to this marinade, making sure each piece is coated well.
• Cover the bowl and leave it to marinate for at least 2 hours, though overnight would taste the most flavourful.
• While the chicken is marinating, prepare the rice.
• Rinse basmati rice thoroughly until the water running off it is clear to remove excess starch.
• To a big vessel, add water and bring it to boil; add whole spices such as cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and a cinnamon stick so that the rice imbibes the flavours from the spices. Add soaked rice to the boiling water.
• Stir well and cook until the grains are still firm or 70-80% cooked. Drain and set rice aside.
• Prepare the fried onions next. Slice into very thin pieces one large onion, and fry them in hot oil until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove the fried onions from the oil and drain them on a paper towel to remove excess oil. This will be used as a garnish for the biryani.
• Heat some ghee or oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or a pressure cooker.
• Add the marinated chicken to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is partly done and the spices have released their aroma. Now it's time to add a handful of fried onions, fresh mint leaves, and leaves of cilantro to infuse more flavours into it.
• Layering begins when the chicken is half-cooked. Lay a layer of half-cooked rice on top of the chicken.
• Spread saffron-infused milk over this layer of rice to give it a golden colour and deep aroma. Again, layer chicken-rice alternately until both the chicken and rice are all used up.
• Ensure the top layer is rice, garnished with fried onions, mint, cilantro, and a few strands of saffron. Cover the pot with a tight lid to retain the steam.
• Cook the biryani on low heat for 20-30 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, put on the weight but do not apply any pressure. Let the biryani cook in a low-pressure setup.
• This gentle cooking method referred to as "dum", makes sure that the flavours are absorbed and the chicken becomes tender while ensuring the rice cooks perfectly. After the biryani is done, let it rest for 10 minutes before opening the lid.
• Once the shahi chicken biryani is ready, fluff the rice with a fork to mix the chicken and rice layers.