Pineapple-Sriracha Chicken Bowls with Wild Rice
Do you ever just eat so much crap that your body craves healthy food like none other?
It can’t be just me. You see, my body is now rebelling against my week-long binge of Cafe Rio, Easter treats, and homemade baked goods. I get what I like to call “grease tummy aches.” It’s basically my body being like Hey here’s an idea! Stop eating so much unhealthy crud and try a carrot or something, you piggy!
$200 in vegetables, chicken, and Coconut La Croix later…my fridge is stocked with real food people can actually eat daily and not feel like dying—Hooray! (Also, can we talk about how amazing Coconut La Croix is? Like…how is it possible it contains no sodium, sweetener, or calories and yet it’s so unbelievably tasty?!…Now I’m rethinking that “real food” claim I made…)
So yes, this bowl would be an example of Rachael detox food—lots of green, some healthy grains, and protein!
Let’s talk about the chicken and it’s marinade/sauce because it’s pretty awesome. It’s kind of Asian-inspired with the soy and hoisin, but then it’s also got pineapple and sriracha. You guys know I have a love affair with sriracha; it’s the perfect amount of heat with so much flavor, and I love how it tastes with the pineapple. I have a feeling this sauce would be really good on shrimp, flank steak, or even tofu. It works great as a marinade because the pineapple acts as a tenderizer.
So what about the rest of the bowl? Well, you may notice the two look a little different. That’s because Mikey is kinda picky about certain veggie-related things. He hates fresh tomatoes, and claims to dislike avocados, though I have a hard time believing anyone could hate avocados. Actually the avocado is my second favorite part of these bowl because I think it pairs so well with the chicken and sauce. I’m already planning on putting the leftover chicken in a wrap with guacamole and I can’t wait. But ANYWAY, I just added a little pineapple to his to make up for the lack of “stuff” on his salad.
Both bowls, however, are topped with chopped pistachios for crunch, but I think you could substitute any toasted nut and it would be equally delicious. Both bowls also have wild rice. Wild rice is kinda unique because the grains are much longer than traditional rices, and they blossom and get puffy when they’re done cooking. It has great texture and is a really interesting alternative to white or brown rices.
By the way, this bowl was totally inspired by the beyond gorgeous Black Rice Salad Bowl from Half Baked Harvest!
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup pineapple chunks
- 1/4 cup hoisin
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- juice from 1 lime
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 and 1/4 lbs)
- 2/3 cup wild rice
- 2 and 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- pinch of salt
- mixed greens
- olive oil
- sherry vinegar
- kosher salt
- avocado, sliced
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- toasted pistachios, chopped
- extra pineapple chunks
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour the warm sauce in a blender and blend unto the garlic and pineapple is no longer chunky.
- Add the chicken breasts to a large ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and chill in the fridge for at least an hour and a half, or up to 4 hours.
- Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill the chicken on both sides, brushing a bit of the marinade on as it cooks. If you need to, you can finish the chicken in a 350 degree oven. (If you're lucky enough to have a grill, this would be even better cooked on the grill!)
- Allow the chicken to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Heat the remaining marinade in a small pot. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then allow to cool and serve along side the salads.
for the rice:
- Add the rice, stock, and salt to a sauce pan with a lid. Bring to a boil then cover and cook for 50 minutes, until the grains bloom and the rice looks puffy. Drain, and season more if desired.
for the bowls:
- Lightly dress some greens in olive oil, sherry vinegar, and salt. Place not bowls.
- Top the greens with some sliced chicken, rice, avocado, tomatoes, pistachios, and/or pineapple chunks. Serve with the extra cooked marinade.
Looks and sounds great!
Thank you!
This sounds awesome! I'm always looking for new fun dinner ideas–I feel like I always make the same five things week in, week out. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks for the comment, Elizabeth! I think it's super easy to get stuck in dinner ruts (I know I do!), it's always Pinterest and other food blogs that get me out 🙂
Yum. Yum yum yum. I will never get sick of asian inspired rice bowls!! They are just the greatest and always look awesome too.
Thanks, Allie! I don't think I could either! Switch up the protein and veggies every now and again and you're golden :D!