Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken thighs (about 700 g meat once skinned and boned)

Marinade

• salt and 1 teaspoon each of ground spices: turmeric, cardamom, cumin, garam masala, chili
• 1/2 glass plain yogurt

Biryani

• 1 onion
• ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil
• 1/4 glass milk
• a pinch of saffron
• 200 g basmati rice
• spices: a cinnamon stick, a few cloves and cardamom pods, a bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 cm piece of ginger, grated
• fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, cut the meat off the bone, and cut it into pieces. Season with salt and rub with the marinade spices, then mix with the yogurt and refrigerate to marinate — overnight or for a few hours, if you have time.
2. Peel the onion and cut it into thin wedges, salt it, and sprinkle with sugar. Set aside for about 20 minutes until it releases its juice. Then squeeze out the juice and fry in 2 tablespoons of fat for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy. Remove from the skillet and set on a paper towel.
3. Mix the saffron with the milk and set aside.
4. Cook the rice in salted water, shortening the cooking time by about 2 minutes. Drain and spread on a plate.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of fat in a larger skillet, add the spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaf), and fry briefly.
6. Add the grated garlic and ginger and fry briefly as well. Pour in a few tablespoons of water and bring to a boil.
7. Add the chicken thighs along with the marinade and fry for about 5 minutes, turning the meat to brown on all sides.
8. Then spread the cooked rice on top, scatter the fried onion over it, drizzle with the saffron milk, and cover with a lid.
9. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.