These easy chicken black rice bowls combine nourishing black grain with tamari honey-glazed chicken. All topped off with a creamy cashew-tahini herb dressing! These bowls are dairy-free and gluten-free. They make a quick, healthy dinner.
These easy black chicken rice bowls with cashew-tahini-herb sauce are my latest attempt to incorporate this sauce into meals. The combination of the tamari honey-glazed chicken with the herb sauce makes for a delicious meal. It also ensures that there is plenty of flavor to mix through the rice, greens, and herbs.
What’s good about black rice?
The name “forbidden” rice dates back to ancient China. Dark rice was apparently only for royalty and, therefore, “forbidden.”
Black rice has similar nutritional properties to brown rice. Black rice is wholegrain, which means the outer bran layer of the rice has not been removed (as opposed to white rice, which eliminates this layer). It is good to get the outer bran layer into your body because it contains minerals, vitamins, and fiber.
Anthocyanins are a plant pigment found in the outer layer of black rice. Anthocyanins are also found in blueberries and blackberries, which have a dark violet/black color. Anthocyanins are antioxidants that protect our bodies from damage caused by free radicals. This type of damage is linked to certain diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. You can find an overview of antioxidants on this page.
Let me show you a quick and easy way to enjoy black rice in these chicken black rice bowls. These are great for a quick, healthy dinner. The leftovers also make a good lunch. This recipe conveniently makes two bowls. You can add any vegetables that you like. I love broccoli, but you can use whatever is in your fridge. There are so many delicious options: roasted pumpkin, green beans or eggplant grilled, sauteed kale, etc.
Double the amount of black rice that you will need to make this recipe. This will help with meal preparation. You can use the leftovers to create another meal. It could be something similar to this bowl, or you could pair it with curry or turn it into black rice porridge. You can then have easy black rice chicken bowls in no time and a second meal that is packed with antioxidants.
EASY CHICKEN BROWN RICE BOWLS
Chicken black rice bowls are easy to make with fresh greens and nourishing black grain, plus tamari honey-glazed chicken. They’re topped with a cashew tahini herbal sauce. Perfect for a quick, healthy dinner.
Ingredients
300 grams of skinless chicken breast or thighs
1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
Uncooked, 1/2 cup of black rice
Buy one bunch of broccolini
Half a cup of frozen peas
Coconut oil or olive oil for cooking chicken
Season with salt and pepper
A sprinkle of chili flakes – Optional
Serve 1 serving cashew tahini herbal sauce (see the notes for a link to this recipe)
Instructions
Make this if you don’t already have the tahini sauce at hand. Cashews can be soaked while the rice cooks. The sauce recipe will yield a large jar so that you can consider this meal preparation for the whole week.
Cook black rice in accordance with the instructions on the packet. This should take 30-40 minutes. If your rice did not come with instructions, try the absorption technique on the stove. Use 1 cup of water for 1/2 cup of rice and simmer it on low heat until absorbed.
Prepare the chicken while the rice is cooking. Mix the tamari with the honey in a cup, and then add two tablespoons of warm water. The chicken should be cut into small pieces to make it easier to cook. If you are using thick breasts, slice them down the middle to create two smaller pieces.
Cook the chicken in a grill pan or fry pan (approximately 5 minutes per side). Pour the honey tamari mixture over the cooked chicken in the last few minutes of cooking. Turn the chicken around so that it is evenly coated. Sprinkle a little pepper and salt on top. Remove the pan from heat.
Steam broccolini and peas (either on the stovetop or in the microwave) until tender.
Assemble your bowls. Divide the rice, broccolini, and peas between two bowls. Pour over all pan juices. Pour over the cashew-tahini-herb sauce. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and chili flakes on top if you like.
Notes
This is the link to the recipe for the sauce – Cashew Tahini Herb Sauce. * Do you want to make it soy-free? You can replace the tamari with coconut aminos. * This bowl can be made with any vegetables! Use whatever you have. I like broccolini, but any vegetable will do. Include some leafy greens because they are so good for you. * Do I need to use black risotto? No, not at all. I wouldn’t want you to be stressed out by having to buy black rice if you can’t get it or it’s difficult to find. If you cannot find black rice, then any other rice will do.