1. To make the Chicken Marinade: In a large bowl, mix the chicken marinade; 2/3 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup water, 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, 6 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 inch knob grated ginger, 1/8 tsp. ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional), 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom, 2 tsp. garam masala, 2 tsp. chopped coriander, 1 Tbsp. ground cumin, 2 Tbsp. paprika, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Give that a quick whisk, then adds in 1.5 lbs. diced boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Coat the chicken well, cover with plastic wrap, then let it marinade for at least 1 hour.

2. For Par Boiled Rice: Bring 10 cups of water to a boil, then add in 1 Tbsp. salt, 10 cloves, 5 dried bay leaves, 1-star anise, 6 green cardamom pods, and 2 1/4 cups uncooked basmati rice. Stir that, and let it cook for 5 minutes. Drain the rice, and take out the spices. The rice should be slightly firm.

3. For Crispy Onions: To a pot or saucepan, add 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp. ghee. Let the ghee melt over medium-high heat, and once the oil is hot, add in 1 finely sliced onion. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy. With a sloted spoon, remove the onions, and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. (Discard most of the oil, keeping about 1 Tbsp).

4. For Saffron Water: In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp. warm water, and 1 tsp. saffron threads. Give that a quick stir, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, or until ready to use.

5. Cook the Chicken: In the same pan you cooked the onions in, remove most of the oil, saving about 1 Tbsp. Add in the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Flip, then cook another 5 minutes.

6. Assembly: Once the chicken is cooked, remove about 1/2 of the chicken, add on 1/3 of the crispy onions, some chopped coriander, and about 1/ 2 of the rice. Add on the remaining chicken, 1/3 of the onions, some more coriander, and all of the remaining rice. Add on the last 1/3 of the onions and drizzle on the saffron water. Cover the pot, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

7. Serving: Serve with some coriander, and a squeeze of lime juice! Enjoy!