Easy Chicken Mandi

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken (Cut into pieces; bone-in preferred for flavor)
• 1.25 cup Basmati Rice (Referred to as '1 glass'; should be soaked for 20-30 minutes before cooking)
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (For chicken marinade)
• 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder (For chicken marinade)
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (Freshly squeezed)
• 3 tbsp Yogurt (Plain yogurt for marinade)
• 1 tbsp Hot Sauce (Any standard chili-based hot sauce)
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (For chicken marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Cumin Powder (For chicken marinade)
• 2 tsp Mandi or Tikka Masala (Divided: 1 tsp for chicken, 1 tsp for rice)
• 1 Onion (Medium sized, sliced)
• 2 Green Chilies (Slit lengthwise)
• 2 Whole Cloves (For the rice aromatics)
• 3 tbsp Cooking Oil (Divided: 1 tbsp for chicken, 2 tbsp for rice)
• pinch Food Color (Yellow or orange, mixed with a little water)
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Divided: 0.5 tsp for chicken, 1 tsp for rice)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, lemon juice, yogurt, 0.5 tsp salt, hot sauce, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and 1 tsp of the mandi/tikka masala. Mix thoroughly to coat every piece.

2. 2

   Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15–20 minutes to let the flavors penetrate the meat.

3. 3

   Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken along with all the leftover marinade from the bowl. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through with a slight char on the outside.

4. 4

   While the chicken is cooking, start the rice. In a separate pot or deep pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add the sliced onion, green chilies, and whole cloves. Sauté for about 1 minute until the onions begin to soften and the cloves become fragrant.

5. 5

   Add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of mandi/tikka masala to the onion mixture. Stir for a few seconds.

6. 6

   Pour in water (typically 2 to 2.5 cups for 1.25 cups of rice). Bring the water to a rolling boil.

7. 7

   Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Cook on medium-high heat until most of the water has been absorbed and only about 10% remains at the bottom.

8. 8

   Drizzle the food color over the rice. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Let it steam (dum) for 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Place the cooked chicken pieces on top of the rice bed and serve immediately.

Notes

For a more authentic smoky flavor, you can place a small piece of burning charcoal in a foil cup in the center of the rice/chicken pot, drizzle a drop of oil on it, and cover tightly for 2 minutes before serving.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Chicken
• Rice Dish
• Arabian
• Middle Eastern
• Ramadan
• Spicy
• One-Pot Style