Easy Chicken Biryani

Ingredients: For onion mix: 1. 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2. 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced 3. 6 green cardamom pods, crushed 4. 3 whole star anise 5. garlic cloves, finely chopped 6. 1 tbsp turmeric powder 7. 1 tsp garam masala 8. 1 cinnamon stick 9. 2 bay leaves For cooking: 10. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt) 11. 2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock 12. 1 ½ cups basmati rice (or sushi rice) For topping: 13. ¼ cup chopped dried apricots (or dried peach, raisins, etc) 14. ¼ cup sliced raw almonds, toasted 15. ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves

Methods: 1. Season the chicken with salt, let sit for half an hour. 2. In a medium saucepan with a lid, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add ingredients 2-4, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and a very deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, lowering heat if necessary to keep from burning them. Add ingredients 5-10 and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until very fragrant. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes, stirring to coat chicken with the onion mixture. Add rice and stir for 1 minute. 3. Add stock and remaining salt, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice has absorbed liquid, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 12 minutes. Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork. 4. Transfer chicken and rice to a bowl, taking care to remove and discard cardamom pods, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Garnish with apricots, almonds, and cilantro. Serve hot.

Preparing time: 30 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes

Photography: Yancy