Rice bowls are potentially my favorite thing to cook for dinner and have again for lunch the next day. Definitely top three. It's easy to make enough for multiple meals and they usually last well.
I've been craving turmeric lately which I decided is not weird. Random maybe. It makes my tummy happy. I don't have any major food/ digestion issues but I do feel better when I'm eating better. Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory as well as a source of antioxidants. Be careful cooking with it in nice/ white clothes because it's also great at staining things yellow. I know from experience so learn from my mistakes.
Confession time: I don't know the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. I call them all sweet potatoes and the purple ones I just call purple sweet potatoes. Science. Could I look up the difference? Sure but I like it better this way. There are plenty of nit picky things I get passionate about (low sodium broth) but this is not one of them.
I add hot sauce to almost everything. The key to hot sauce is picking one that is complementary to the flavors already in the dish. For this one - it has so many great flavors already I didn't want to risk adding anything on top. I still need heat though so I stuck with diced jalapeños and it turned out to be the right choice.
Servings: 2
You'll need:
1/2 cup long grain brown rice
1 cup chopped spinach
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 medium sweet potato (purple or orange or whatever)
2 handfuls arugula
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons light miso paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon oil (coconut works great in this recipe)
Marinade:
1/4 cup fat free greek yogurt or light sour cream
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt (or 1/2 teaspoon onion salt)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions:
Mix the chicken marinade in container or plastic baggie. Add the chicken and coat each side then let sit 20 minutes at least. You can start the rice during this time.
Add rice, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, and a sprinkle of onion salt to a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, bring down to a simmer and cook on low/ medium heat for 35-40 minutes (also just take a peak at the package instructions, they are very helpful)
While the rice is cooking preheat your oven to 425F
Peel and dice your potato. Add to a mixing bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Then mix with miso paste, soy sauce, coconut oil, sesame seeds, ginger powder, and garlic powder until coated.
Add a tablespoon of oil (I used coconut) to a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Let it heat up over medium+ until shimmery. Add chicken, sprinkle with cayenne, and cook on high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Do not move it during those two minutes! You want it seared.
After searing each side of the chickens, add the potatoes to the other side of your cast iron. If you are not using an oven safe skillet, transfer chicken to a sheet pan and add sweet potato to the sheet pan as well. Let chicken and sweet potato cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
When the rice is done, removed from heat and mix in diced spinach.
While the chicken is cooking, dice jalapeño and green onion. Mix arugula with lemon juice in a bowl and stir to coat.
When the chicken and potatoes are done, remove from the oven and cut chicken.
Plate starting with rice, then arugula, then chicken and potatoes. Top with diced green onion and jalapeño.