Start by marinating the chicken. Mix the chicken pieces with the yoghurt, Breyani mix (or curry powder), salt, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes, but the longer the better!
In your heavy-bottomed pot, heat up the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and chilli. Sauté until the onions are beautifully golden and fragrant.
Now, add in the marinated chicken pieces. Brown the chicken on all sides, making sure each piece is sealed and soaking up all those incredible flavours.
Once the chicken is browned, stir in the diced tomatoes, turmeric, and half of the coriander and mint. Turn down the heat, pop the lid on, and let this bubble away gently for about 30 minutes.
While that's happening, rinse your basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This is a crucial step to ensure your rice is light and fluffy. Cook the rice as per the package instructions, but take it off the heat a bit early - you want the grains to be just slightly undercooked.
With the rice cooked and drained, it's time to assemble the breyani. Spread half the rice in a layer over the chicken in the pot. Sprinkle the saffron water (if using) over the rice for a bit of luxurious colour and flavour. Then, add the rest of the rice to the pot.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let this simmer away on a low heat for about 15 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld together and the rice to fully cook in the rich, spiced sauce from the chicken.
Meanwhile, toast the slivered almonds in a dry frying pan until they're golden and crisp. This adds a wonderful crunch to your breyani.
When ready to serve, sprinkle the toasted almonds and the remaining fresh coriander and mint over the top of the breyani. Serve it straight from the pot - and enjoy the wonderful flavours of this traditional South African dish!
