Hawaiian Chicken and veggie teriyaki bowls

 

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN AND VEGGIE TERIYAKI BOWLS

yield: 6 -7 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 45MINUTES MINS

cook time: 15MINUTES MINS

marinating time: 1HOUR HR

INGREDIENTS

Chicken + Marinade:

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders or thighs
• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (see note)
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic (see note)

Veggies + Rice:

• 1 small pineapple, peeled and cut into wedges or thick spears
• 2 to 3 medium zucchini, cut into spears
• 2 medium bell peppers, any color, cored and cut into thick strips
• 3 cups hot, cooked rice (see note)
• Other: diced avocados, fresh or pickled onions, toasted sesame seeds, fresh lime wedges, extra teriyaki sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Combine all the marinade ingredients and whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Pour half of the marinade into a container to use later; cover and refrigerate. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill, indoor grill pan, air fryer, or oven broiler to medium or medium-high heat. I use a pellet grill and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the chicken until cooked through, flipping once and brushing with reserved marinade the last 1-2 minutes of cooking (discard the marinade used for the chicken). Exact cooking times will vary based on the thickness/type of chicken used; an instant-read thermometer should read 165 degrees F when inserted at the thickest part of the chicken. Remove the chicken, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes while cooking the veggies.
• Add the pineapple, zucchini, and bell peppers to the grill (can also use a grill pan or any of the aforementioned cooking methods in step #2). Brush with reserved marinade. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip, brush with marinade, and continue cooking until crisp-tender, another 3-5 minutes. Remove to a pan.
• If desired, pour the remaining marinade (that was used for brushing the chicken, pineapple and veggies) into a small saucepan and simmer for a couple of minutes until reduced slightly.
• To serve, slice the chicken into strips. Chop the pineapple, bell peppers and zucchin into bite-size pieces.
• Add a scoop of rice to a serving plate or bowl followed by chicken slices, pineapple, bell peppers, zucchini, and any other add-ins like diced avocados, red onion slices, fresh lime wedges.
• Drizzle with remaining teriyaki marinade/sauce and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.

• NOTES

  Ginger + Garlic: if using fresh ginger, it works best to freeze the ginger (no need to peel) and then grate the frozen ginger on the small holes of a box grater or rasp grater (again, no need to peel). The frozen cubes of ginger and/or garlic from Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores work great in the marinade, too. I have not used dried/ground ginger or garlic for this recipe, but it might work – feel free to experiment. 

  Rice: this recipe is fantastic with cilantro lime rice, coconut rice, or plain, cooked white or brown rice. The rice can easily be left out for a lower carb meal.

  Teriyaki Sauce: having a favorite storebought brand of teriyaki sauce on hand can help with the extra drizzle of sauce at the end if all the marinade was used for brushing chicken/pineapple/veggies.

  Pickled Onions: peel and thinly slice red onions. Pack them into a pint jar. Combine the following and heat through on the stovetop or in the microwave until sugar and salt are dissolved – 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unseasoned rice or apple cider vinegar (or a combo), 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons coarse, kosher salt. Pour the hot mixture over the onions. Cover. Refrigerate at least an hour but preferably up to 8 hours before serving. They keep in the fridge for several weeks.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Loaded chicken fajita sweet potatoes

 

LOADED CHICKEN FAJITA SWEET POTATOES

yield: 8 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 20MINUTES MINS

cook time: 1HOUR HR 20MINUTES MINS

total time: 1HOUR HR 40MINUTES MINS

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (see note)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium onion, cut into half moon slices
• 2 large bell peppers, any color, cored and sliced into thin strips
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 to 3 cups cooked, shredded or chopped chicken
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (skip for dairy free and see note)
• Toppings: sour cream, avocado, cilantro, salsa, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with foil and grease with cooking spray. Poke a few holes in each sweet potato with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on the sheet pan and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
• While the sweet potatoes cook, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove to a plate and return the skillet to the heat.
• Add another splash of olive oil, if needed. Add the mushrooms and cook, without stirring (for more golden color), for 1-2 minutes. Stir or flip and continue cooking for a few more minutes until golden and tender. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Add the onions and peppers back to the skillet with the mushrooms. Add the chicken, cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, lime juice and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper!
• Preheat the oven broiler and position a rack in the upper middle position in the oven.
• Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise and place on the baking sheet cut side up (replacing the foil, if needed). Scrape the flesh of the sweet potato with a fork until it is lightly mashed. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Divide the chicken/veggie mixture evenly among the sweet potatoes, piling it high.
• Sprinkle cheese over the top. Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling (watch closely!), 2-3 minutes.
• Serve immediately with toppings of your choice (sour cream, salsa, avocado, cilantro, etc).

NOTES

Potatoes: I haven’t tried subbing out the sweet potatoes for russets, yukon golds or another variety, but it’s worth a try if that’s your preference. And if you really want a wild potato variation, try the fajita topping over tater tots (top with cheese and broil per the recipe). 

Veggies: the vegetables in this recipe are totally customizable. Veggies you don’t like or don’t have on hand can be swapped out for others (like zucchini, broccoli, carrots, etc). 

Meatless: this meal can easily be made meatless just by leaving out the chicken. A can of beans, rinsed and drained, could also be added (with or without the meat). 

Cheese: Skip for dairy free. Monterey Jack and cheddar can be subbed for the Mexican cheese blend.
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe