Mix chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Marinate for 1-2 hours.
Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes. Boil with bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and salt until 70-80% cooked.
Sauté cumin seeds in ghee and oil. Add sliced onions, cook until golden. Add tomatoes, then marinated chicken until partially cooked.
In a pot, layer half of the partially cooked rice, followed by the chicken masala, coriander, mint leaves, and the remaining rice.
Drizzle ghee on top, sprinkle fried onions over the rice.
Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked and rice is fully cooked and aromatic.
Optionally, place the pot on a tawa (griddle) to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.
Gently fluff the biryani with a fork to mix the layers.
Serve hot with raita (yogurt side dish) for a complete and delicious meal.