Chicken Tikka Biryani Recipe.

One of my favourite Biryani..Chicken Tikka Biryani...A very flavourful and delicious biryani with chicken tikka chunks and aromatic basmati rice cooked to perfection..This chicken tikka biryani has got a yummy flavour as we use charcoal for the coal aroma which gives you the feel of having tandoori/tikka made on a clay tandoor..Chicken tikka biryani recipe is slightly different than the other biryanis more or less same as my tandoori chicken biryani which is already shared on the blog.Unlike other biryani the chicken tikka chunks are grilled/cooked separately and later arranged on layer above the rice and gravy..

Do try it out you will love it ..Use the best quality basmati rice for better results..this chicken tikka biryani goes well with any raita /salad.. I enjoyed it with mince potato chops and some fried chicken ..

Ingredients
for the tikka
1/2  kg chicken boneless
1 tsp lime juice
 1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
 1tsp kashmiri chilli powder
 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup curds/yogurt/dahi
salt

for the rice
1/2 kg basmati rice
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp balck cumin seeds/shahi jeera
2-3 cardamom
salt

for the gravy
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 cup curds/yogurt/dahi
3 onions sliced
2- tomato sliced
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
4-5 green chilies/chopped or slited
oil

for layering
coriander leaves
mint leaves
crispy fried onion
nuts as needed
rose water
1/2 tsp fennel powder(optional)
1/4 tssp nutmeg powder
safrron infused in  1 tbsp milk
orange food colour (optional)

1)
Preparing the Chicken Tikka

• Marinate chicken with the ingredients mentioned and set aside for 20 minutes minimum..
• Grill or cook it in a non stick pan using very little oil ,fry well till done.
• keep a coal burning till red hot ,place a aluminum foil in the pan where the chcken is fried keep the coal drizzle a drop of oil or ghee and cover the pan immediately to let the smoke infuse in the chicken tikka.
• Keep it covered for atleast 5-7 minutes.
• Remove the foil carefully.

2)
Cooking the rice

• Take a vessel fill it with water around 4-5 cups add salt
• Let the water come to a boil
• Add bay leaves,cardamom  and shahi jeera 
• Add the soaked ,drained rice and cook till 3/4 th done .
• Drain the excess water by removing the rice in a colander.

3)
Making the gravy

• Heat oil and fry the onions till crisp and golden brown keep some for layering.
• heat oil in a pan ,add  ginger garlic paste cook till raw smell ogoes off 
• Add the sliced tomatoes and green chillies ,cook till soft and mushy
• Add the fried brown onions and saute for few minutes
• Now miz in the leftover marinade to the beaten 1/4 cup curds and the coriander,cumin ,chilli powder and garam masala powder.
• Saute till the oil releases from the masala.
• Add about 1 1/2 cup water and let ti come to a boil
• You can add more water if you find the gravy too thick, also add salt if required

4)
Assembling the biryani

• Heat a iron griddle/tava on the gas stove.
• In the vessel which you are using to layer biryani heat 1 tbsp oil/ghee
• Arrange half layer of rice
• Top it with fried onions ,coriander mint leaves and also add fennel and nutmeg powder.
• Arrane the gravy over the rice and place the chicken tikka over the gravy
• Now arrange the remaining half layer of rice.
• Top it with coriander,mint leaves and fried onions
• Sprinkle rose water ,1 1/2 tsp  melted ghee,nuts , saffron infused in milk and few drops of orange food colour.
• Cover the vessel with an aluminium foil and place the lid over it.
• Keep the biryani pot/vessel over the hot iron griddle and cook on dum for 20 minutes
• If not using tava under the vessel ,cook on high flame for 10 minutes then on low flame for 10 minutes.
• Serve it hot with raita/salad of your choice.