Chicken and Rice Bowls

My kids hate rice. I mean, absolutely hate it. When I did boot camp a couple of years ago, brown rice was on the menu fairly frequently. My kids would scoop as little on their plate as they could get away with - sometimes I think they got about 6 little grains. Funny.

Brown rice takes longer to cook, because they leave the little outer coating on it that has all the nutrients. Do not, I repeat, do not, waste your time with white rice. It's just empty calories. And instant rice? I shudder at the thought.

I think a lot of people who eat instant rice do so because it's just easier. Getting the right ratio of rice to water, the right timing (so it's cooked and not burned) can be a little cumbersome. Unless you have a rice cooker, rice can be a royal pain.

It actually doesn't have to be. I learned the "boil method" a few years ago when I was into a lot of vegan cooking. I will never make rice another way again. If you can make pasta, you can use the boil method. It's simple: fill a pot with hot water (use about four times as much water as rice), bring it to a boil, stir in the rice, and let it cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain with a wire mesh strainer, tapping it to remove as much water as possible. Done. Rice is served. Not only is this method easier, in my opinion, it also yields a better texture.

So today is not so much a recipe as it is an idea for lunch or dinner. There are sooooo many things you can do with chicken rice bowls! It's also a great way to use up leftover chicken and veggies.

Cook (or reheat) rice. Cook (or reheat) chicken. Chop chicken into bite sized chunks. In a bowl, layer rice, then chicken, any veggies (steamed, roasted or fresh) and a sauce. Some of our household favorites are salsa and sour cream (though none for me), fat free Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese, Italian Cesar dressing and Parmesan cheese, barbecue sauce and avocado, balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil, or pretty much anything else you can think of that might go good on chicken and rice.

This is great for a quick dinner or brown bagging it for lunch at work (assuming you have access to a microwave). And really, you could apply the same concept with any lean protein and grain - pot roast, pork, anything! Get creative!