One Pot Chicken Tikka Rice

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken thighs (cut into chunks)
• mustard oil (drizzle for marination)
• 0.25 cup hung curd (plain Greek yogurt)
• 8 garlic cloves (made into a fine paste)
• 1 inch ginger (made into a fine paste)
• 3 green chilies (made into a fine paste)
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tsp hot chili powder
• 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder
• 0.5 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp biryani masala powder (or garam masala powder)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (heaped)
• mint and coriander leaves (handful, finely chopped; divided for marination and rice)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 onions (thinly sliced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• 0.5 tsp shah jeera (caraway seeds)
• 1 tsp honey
• 300 g long-grain basmati rice
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp kewra water

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the marinade by combining the hung curd, garlic-ginger-chili paste, Kashmiri chili powder, hot chili powder, crushed coriander seeds, cumin powder, black pepper powder, biryani masala, tomato paste, chopped mint and coriander, lemon juice, and a drizzle of mustard oil in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Add the chicken thigh chunks to the marinade. Mix thoroughly to ensure every piece is coated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or longer in the refrigerator for better flavor.

3. 3

   In a large pot or heavy-bottomed pan, heat some oil or ghee. Add the whole spices: bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves, and shah jeera. Sauté until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add the thinly sliced onions to the pot. Sauté until they are golden brown and caramelized.

5. 5

   Add the marinated chicken to the pot with the onions. Cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is browned and the oil starts to separate from the masala.

6. 6

   Stir in 1 teaspoon of honey to balance the spices.

7. 7

   Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the pot along with the ghee, more chopped mint and coriander, and kewra water.

8. 8

   Add water (typically 1.5 to 2 cups of water per cup of rice, or enough to cover the rice by about an inch). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer until the rice is tender and water is absorbed (about 12-15 minutes).

9. 9

   While the rice finishes, light a piece of charcoal until red hot. Place a small foil bowl or onion skin on top of the rice, place the hot charcoal inside, and drizzle a little oil or ghee over the coal. Immediately cover the pot with a lid to trap the smoke for 5-10 minutes.

10. 10

    Remove the charcoal bowl, fluff the rice gently with a fork, and serve hot.

Notes

Hung curd is made by straining plain yogurt in cheesecloth until thick. If you don't have biryani masala, garam masala is a suitable substitute. The charcoal smoking step (dhungar method) is essential for that authentic 'tikka' flavor.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• rice
• one-pot
• indian
• biryani
• tikka
• spicy