Easy Chicken Briyani For Kids - Lunch Box Recipes

This is my kids' favorite rice dish.  Whenever I make this for them, there will be very less fussing during meal time and on days I pack this for school lunch, I will definitely see an empty lunch box at the end of the day. This biryani recipe, was tweaked to suit my kids preferences. They don't like onions and tomatoes in the biryani, so it is just the chicken and rice.  Also I grind all the spices, so that they do not bite on any hard spices. This way it will be easy for the little ones to feed themselves. I usually prep the chicken the previous night and let it marinade along with the ground paste overnight in the fridge and in morning,  all I have to do is to cook this chicken and then add the rice. This saves a lot of time in the morning rush when you are running around getting breakfast ready and feeding the little ones along with packing water bottles and snack boxes.  Do try this version for your little ones once and you will make this often on requests like I do these days. Sending this easy biryani recipe to Lunch Box Recipes conducted by Indusladies.

Ingredients:
1. Boneless skinless chicken, washed and cut into small bite-size pieces, 1 cup.
2.  Basmati rice, 1 cup. (washed and soaked for an hour). I usually soak the rice overnight, so it will be ready for cooking in the morning rush.
3. Lemon juice, a tablespoon.
4. Ghee, a tablespoon.

To Grind:
1. Cinnamon, a small piece.
2. Fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
3. Cardamom, 1.
4. Star anise, a small piece, (half).
5. Green chilies, 1-2 depending upon preferred spice level.
6. Mint leaves, a handful.
7. Garlic, 2 cloves.
8. Ginger, a small piece.
9. Turmeric powder, a pinch,
10. Salt, as needed.

Preparation:
Grind all the ingredients given under the "to grind" list into a smooth paste with a little water. Add this to the chicken along with the lemon juice and mix everything well.  Transfer this to a zip lock bag or any other closed container and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or for a couple of hours.   Slow cooking the chicken is ideal for a good flavor of the biryani. I usually add the chicken in a thick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, and slow cook the chicken under low flame for 15-25 minutes (closed), so that the chicken is cooked in its own juice.

At this point, if cooking the rice in a rice cooker, transfer the contents to a rice cooker along with 2 cups of water and cook the rice until it is done.

Note: This step is only for pressure cooking: If you are short of time in the mornings, you can pressure cook the chicken with a little water just enough to drown the chicken and pressure cook for 10 minutes for up to 3 whistles. Once the pressure is down,  add the rice with 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 more whistles for 10 minutes. The only thing to note is the water level.  The water in the chicken should also be kept in mind when adding water for the rice. I usually drain all the juices from the pressure cooker, pour into a cup, and then add this water along with the water required for the rice.

Alternatively, once the chicken is cooked in the pan, you can add the rice along with 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Reduce the flame to a low simmer once it comes to a boil, and cook closed for 10-12 minutes until the rice is done. Mix in the ghee once the rice is cooked and serve with any raita.