Ingredients:
- Chicken,cut into medium size pieces - 250 to 300 gms
- Onion,sliced - 1 large( about 1 cup)
- Tomato,chopped - 1 small( 1/2 cup)
- Oil- as required
- Water-as required
- Salt-to taste
For Marination:
- Kashmiri chili powder- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
- Coriander powder- 1tsp
- Lemon Juice-1/2 tsp
- Water-as required
- Salt- to taste
For Masala paste:
- Green chilies-3 to 4 nos( or more,according to taste)
- Ginger- 1" piece
- Garlic-3 cloves
- Coriander leaves,roughly chopped- 2 tbsp
- Mint leaves,roughly chopped- 1 tbsp
- Cinnamon-1" piece
- Cloves- 3 nos
- Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
- Whole black pepper -1/2 tsp
- Salt- to taste
For rice:
- Basmati rice- 1.5 cups
- Cardamom pods- 3 nos
- Cinnamon stick,1" piece-2 nos
- Cloves-5 nos
- Bay leaf- 1 no
- Water-3 cup( 1/2 cup more ,if required)
- Ghee-as required
- Salt- to taste
For Layering/garnishing:
- Onion,sliced- 1 small
- Cashew nuts- 12 to 15 nos
- Raisins-1 or 2 tbsp
- Garam masala- 2 to 3 pinch
- Ghee /Oil- as required
- Coriander and mint leaves,chopped-as required
Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients listed under 'For marination' in a bowl.Marinate the chicken with this masala.Keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat oil/ghee in a pan and fry sliced onion,cashew nuts and raisins ( for garnishing) separately until it turns golden brown. Keep aside. Combine all the ingredients listed under 'For masala paste' in a blender and grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside.
To prepare Chicken Masala,Heat ghee /oil in a pan,add onion and saute until it turns golden brown.
Add tomato and saute until it turns mushy.
Add the prepared masala paste and saute until raw smell leaves. 
Add marinated chicken ,mix well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.Add 1/2 cup water and salt to taste,mix well .Cover and cook until chicken is done.(Check in between,give it a stir and add more water if required)
Remove the lid,cook until gravy turns thick. To prepare rice ,heat ghee in a pan,add cardamom,cinnamon,cloves and bay leaf.Saute for few seconds or until fragrant.Add washed and drained rice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.Add water and salt to taste.Bring this to a boil.Reduce flame to low,cover and cook until it is 90 % done and water is completely absorbed.Allow it to cool completely.
For layering,Coat the bottom and sides of the baking dish with ghee.Add a layer of cooked rice.
Add a layer of the prepared chicken masala.Next add a layer of rice.
Sprinkle fried onion,cashew nuts,raisins,chopped coriander /mint leaves, 1 pinch garam masala and few drops of ghee on top.Add another layer of prepared chicken masala .
Finally add a layer of rice.Garnish with remaining fried onion,cashew nuts ,raisins ,coriander and mint leaves.Cover tightly using aluminium foil.Bake for this for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 Deg C.(For stove top method,layer the biriyani in a heavy bottomed pan and cover it tightly using aluminum foil.Heat a tava/pan and place the biriyani vessel on top of the tava.Reduce flame to low and cook for about 20 minutes.) Serve with onion salad NOTES
- Adjust the quantity of green chilies according to your taste.