Chicken Biryani in Oven

Ingredients:

chicken -1 Kg washed and drained
onions- 1 cup
saffron- 1/4 tsp (Optional)
luke warm milk-1/2 cup
salt – as per taste
chopped coriander- 2tbsp
oil-4 tbsps
ghee-3 tbsps
Pinch of food color(Optional)

For marination:

thick curd/ yoghurt-1/2 cup
ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp
slit green chillis-4
turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
coriander powder- 1 tbsp
chopped coriander leaves-1/2 cup
Pudina leaves-1/2 cup
Lemon Juice-3 tbsps
salt-1 1/2 tsps
Chilli powder- 2 tbsps (adjust as per taste)
Biryani Masala/ Garam Masala- 1 tsp

For Rice:
Long grained Basmati rice- 4 cups
cloves-4
cardamoms-3
cinnamon stick-1″
bay leaves-4
star anise-3
mint leaves-5 to 10
Oil-1 tsp
Salt- 1 1/2 tbsp
water- as required

Method:

1. Marinate chicken with all ‘marination’ ingredients and keep it aside for 2 to 4 hrs.
2. Add saffron to milk, mix well and keep aside.(Optional)
3. Cook basmati rice in plenty of water along with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom,oil, salt till its half done. Strain water completely and allow it to cool.
4. Mean while, heat oil and ghee in a wide vessel, add 1/2 cup of onions, saute till they turn golden brown and cryspy. Remove and keep aside.
5. In the same pan add the remainig 1/2 cup onions and saute till they turn transparent, then add marinated chicken and cook on high for 2 mts. Add a tbsp of oil over the chicken pieces. Reduce the heat and cook for 3 more min. By this time chicken will be half done.
6. Now greese oven plate with oil/ ghee. Place chicken along with rice on top such that chicken forms the bottom layer and rice forms the top layer . Mix food color in 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice or water and sprinkle it on top of biryani.
7. Pre heat oven at 180 C. Place biryani inside oven and allow it to cook for 7 to 10 min depending on oven or till its done.
8. Serve hot and spicy chicken biryani with biryani gravy or raitha with fried onions on top.

Tip: You can add boiled eggs to serve it in restaurant style.