Ingredients

Chicken pieces with bone - 3/4 kg (750 gms)

Basmati rice - 4 cups (740 gms)

Onion large-sized (sliced) - 3 nos

Tomato large-sized (chopped) - 3 nos

Mint leaves (chopped) - 1 bunch

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 bunch

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Curd - 1/4 cup

Coconut milk - 2 cups

Fried cashew nuts - 20 nos

Water - 4 cups

Bay leaves - 2 nos

Oil - 5 to 6 tbsp

Masala to grind

(Grind the below ingredients to smooth paste)

Green chilli - 10 nos

Ginger chopped - 2" pieces

Garlic cloves - 8 nos

Cinnamon stick - 2" piece

Cardamom - 3 nos

Cloves - 6 nos

Water - 1 tsp

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Method

1. Marinate chicken pieces with ground masala paste, chopped mint leaves, and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.

2. Mix 2 cups of coconut milk with 4 cups of water.

3. Soak basmati rice in coconut milk and water mixture for half an hour.

4. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan with lid, when oil is hot add bay leaves and onions. Saute onions until they are slightly browned.

5. Now add the marinated chicken along with masala & and mint leaves to the sauteed onions and fry until the chicken turns pale in color.

6. Next add the chopped tomatoes, curd, red chili powder, and the rest of turmeric powder to the pan.

7. Saute well until tomatoes are cooked, add a few tbsps of water to the pan, and stir well everything.

8. When the light gravy is formed, reduce heat, cover the pan with a tight lid, and leave the chicken to cook in gravy for 10 mins.

9. After 10 mins add coconut milk & and water mixture from soaked basmati rice and the required salt for making biryani to the gravy.

10. Turn the heat to high and bring the biryani gravy to boil.

11. When gravy starts boiling add soaked basmati rice to the pan and stir well.

12. When 1/2 of the water is absorbed by the rice, reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a tight lid, and cook biryani rice until tender.

13. Finally garnish Chettinad chicken biryani with coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts.

Serve hot with onion raita, plain salna, and boiled egg.