Chicken Biryani

Prep your ingredients: Chop one Chili Pepper (1) , de-seed if you prefer less spice.

Peel and grate Fresh Ginger (1/2 Tbsp) , and grate Garlic (2 cloves) , then mix the two together in a small bowl and set aside. Chop one medium onion and set aside.

Combine Ground Cinnamon (1/2 Tbsp) , Ground Nutmeg (1/2 Tbsp) , Ground Cumin (1/2 Tbsp) , Ground Black Pepper (1 tsp) , Ground Cloves (1 tsp) , Bay Leaves (2) and Star Anise (1 Tbsp) to create your Biryani Spice Mix.

Prepare your marinade in a large bowl. Combine Plain Yogurt (2/3 cup) , Olive Oil (3 Tbsp) , and the grated ginger and garlic. Mix in chopped chili pepper, Salt (1/2 Tbsp) , Chili Powder (1 tsp) and Ground Turmeric (1 tsp) . Measure half of your Biryani Spice Mix and add to mixture.

Place defrosted Chicken Thighs (2 lb) in the mixture and use tongs to coat. Cover the bowl and let marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes, but an hour is best.

Rinse the Basmati Rice (2 cups) until the water runs clear and then drain. Soak the rice for a minimum of 15 minutes or as long as an hour.

While rice is soaking, heat Cooking Oil (2 Tbsp) in a large pan. Add your remaining biryani mix and stir until the spices are fragrant. Add chopped onion and cook until golden brown, moving them around the pan to ensure even cooking.

Add Chicken Broth (3 cups) and bring the mixture to a boil. Add drained rice, stir, then cover the pot. Cook until almost no liquid remains in the pan. Fluff rice with a fork.

Season with Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste) and serve with Yogurt (to taste) . If desired, top with Fresh Cilantro (to taste) .