Friday, July 26, 2024

Soy Chicken Bowls (and a bonus recipe)

By KarenS. on July 26, 2024

"I regret heating healthy . . .said no one ever."

Photo by Janine Beth Salazar on Pexels.com

It's been a wee bit since I've posted a recipe and it's well past overdue. Y'all will think I've given up eating or cooking. I will admit, things have been hectic at work and working 12 days with only two days off per pay period does NOT give me much time to cook.

I am a huge fan of meal prep and use my air fryer to help. For chicken breasts, I spray the insert with oil, spray the chicken breasts with oil and then season them with the desired spices. For basic chicken I use salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. If I'll be using the chicken in something a little spicier, I'll opt for Cajun seasoning or chili powder and cumin. Bake them for 18 minutes at 400 and you can slice, dice, or shred for whatever you need.

Soy Chicken Bowls

Servings: 3
Time: 30 min
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked & diced
3/4 cup Jasmine rice
1.5 cups water
Pinch of salt
1 lemon, quartered
1 T. butter
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. honey
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup mayo
2 T. chili sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

In a small sauce pan, combine the rice, pinch of salt and water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to low, cooking for 15 minutes. Stir in butter.
In a small bowl, combine honey and soy sauce, stirring well.
In another small bowl, combine mayo and chili sauce, stirring well.
In a non-stick frying pan, place a drizzle of olive oil, the carrots, and the soy sauce/honey. Cook on medium heat until carrots are soft. Turn heat down to low and add diced chicken, stirring to coat chicken, simmer for about 10 minutes.
Using a grater, zest the lemon over the rice, stirring the lemon zest into the rice.
Place rice into bowls, top with chicken mixture, sprinkle with cilantro and top with mayo/chili sauce. Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

This is a very basic recipe that you can change up however you like it. Variations include adding mushrooms, onion, green onion tops, or pepper strips. You can add fresh garlic, fresh ginger, sesame seeds or maybe a dash of red pepper flakes. Top it with crispy fried onions for a bit of crunch. Substitute sesame oil for the olive oil and add a dash of rice vinegar, or change out siracha for the chili sauce if you prefer a spicier meal. Versatility is always key.

While the original recipe states it makes enough for two meals, I've found that it easily makes enough for three meals. It refrigerates and reheats well for leftover lunch or dinner the next day and is just as tasty (if not a bit more) after having set and letting the flavors meld.

Below is another easy recipe to throw together for a quick, light but filling lunch. Using the same basic baked chicken breast, it tastes a lot like the Oriental Chicken Salad at a famous chain restaurant.

Chicken Oriental Salad

Servings: 1
Time: 15 min
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

1 basic baked chicken breast, diced (you can use half if really large)
1 cup of coleslaw mix
1 green onion top sliced
2 T. slivered almonds
1 mandarin orange, peeled and sectioned
2 T. Asian Sesame salad dressing