Chicken Biriyani - Hyderabad style

Chicken               -  1 lb (I used boneless chicken breast)
Green chillies        -   2 nos sliced
Pepper                -  1/2 tbsp 
Cumin                 -  2 tsp
Chili powder         -  1 tbsp
Coriander powder -  1 tbsp
Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
Salt
Oil 
yoghurt               -  1 cup
mint + coriander  -  1/2 cup
garlic                  -  4-6 cloves
ginger                 - 1 inch




Basmati Rice       -  2 cup socked in water for 30 min.
Bay leaf              -  2 big
Cloves                -  4 - 5
Cardamom          -  4 - 5
Cinnamon           -  1 inch
Lemon juice        - 1/2 lemon  
Oil
Salt


Onion                - 1 med sliced finely.
Mint                  - few leaves
Coriander leaves - few
Dried nuts          - few
Ghee/oil 
Turmeric            - 1 tsp mixed in 1/4 cup water. (Few strands of saffron in milk)
Salt


In a blender add mint leaves, coriander leaves, little yoghurt, garlic and ginger. Blend to a fine paste.
In a bowl add this blended paste, mix it with rest of the yoghurt. Add in ingredients from (1) to (9) [under To marinate] and let the chicken marinate in the mix for a while.
Make sure rice is socked in the water for 30 min. This will help expand the rice evenly resulting in even cooking.
Crush cardamom, cloves and cinnamon into small bits. Not to a fine powder.
In a large saucepan, heat some oil, bay leaf and the crushed spices from step[4].
When the nice aroma starts coming, pour in some water (enough to cook the rice to 50%).
Add salt, and taste the water. The water should taste salty. Now add the lemon juice.
When the water starts boiling, add the socked and drained rice.
Rice should be cooked till its 50% done. 
Within few minutes, the rice will start to dance in the water. Take rice grain and try to crush with hand. It should easily break into few pieces. This indicates that rice is half done.
Switch off the heat and drain the rice. The drained rice will also contain the crushed spices.
In a pan heat some oil and fry the sliced onions in batches. Fry till its light brown and drain in a paper towel. Sprinkle some salt over it.
Take a heavy bottom pan. Add all the marinated chicken at the bottom and level it using a spatula.
Sprinkle some fried onions.
Add the half cooked rice over it.
Sprinkle the rest of fried onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves and turmeric water.
Cover with a tight lid(extremely important). If the lid is not tight, cover the pan with  silver foil and then close the lid.
I have an electric stove at home, so I cooked for 5 min on high heat, 20 min on medium heat and I switched off the heat. The electric stove will be hot even after switching off. I let it rest for further 30 min without disturbing the lid.
Remove the lid, open the silver foil away from you and remove it.
Serve hot and enjoy...:)