MenoLabs News | Mon, Jan 04, 2021

Layers of coconut rice, grilled veggies, fruit, and chicken make this bowl a tropical treat that will be welcome at any table. It's colorful, it's flavorful and sure to please all picky palates. 

 

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 6 chicken tenders (or 3 chicken breasts)
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• ½  pineapple, peeled and cut into strips
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced 
• 2 cups water
• 1 ½  c canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tsp light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups brown rice, well rinsed and drained

For the sauce:

• ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• ¼  cup + 1 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. honey
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp cornstarch+ 2 tsp water, mixed together to make a cornstarch slurry
• ¼  tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Combine 2 cups of water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the rice.
2. Return to a gentle rolling boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
4. Make the teriyaki sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan over a medium heat. 
5. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for about 1 minute. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
6. Pour 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce over the raw chicken and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes (or longer if using chicken breasts).
7. Prepare your grill or grill pan and heat it to a medium heat.
8. Cut the vegetables into large pieces that will not fall through the grill grates.
9. Drizzle some olive oil over the vegetables and over the pineapple strips. Grill the vegetables for just a few minutes on each side and then set aside. 
10. Grill the pineapple next by placing the pineapple strips directly on the grill. Grill for about 2 minutes on each side, and set aside. 
11. Lastly, place the chicken on the grill. Cook for about a few minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove to a plate to rest before slicing.
12. Add the coconut rice to each serving bowl. Top with grilled veggies, pineapple and chicken. Drizzle a little of the remaining teriyaki sauce.

(Recipe adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch)