Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro and mint, chopped
  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 3 cups extra-long grain basmati rice, rinsed
  • 10 cups water
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup warm milk with a pinch of saffron
  • 2 tbsp fried onions
  • 1 tbsp melted ghee

Instructions:

  1. Combine chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot. Sauté sliced onions until they reach a deep mahogany color. Remove a handful of fried onions for garnish and keep the rest in the pot.
  3. Add cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seeds to the pot and sauté until fragrant.
  4. Stir in diced tomatoes and cook until the mixture is velvety and softened.
  5. Add the marinated chicken to the pot. Cook on medium-high heat until the chicken is sealed and oil begins to separate from the masala.
  6. In a separate pot, boil water with bay leaves and salt. Add rinsed basmati rice and cook for exactly 5-7 minutes (parboiled to 70% doneness), then drain.
  7. Layer the parboiled rice over the chicken masala. Drizzle saffron-infused milk and melted ghee over the top, and sprinkle with the reserved fried onions.
  8. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam (Dum) on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.