You know I love a good one-bowl meal, but it’s still a little too hot outside for soup, chili, or stew.  I saw this recipe for Chili Lime Shrimp Bowls which offers a good alternative.  With layers of rice, beans, shrimp, and salsa, it’s  a bowl of many flavors and textures.  I was initially intimidated by the long list of ingredients, but I only ended up needing to buy a few things at the grocery store.

While I really do like shrimp, it just doesn’t work well as leftovers.  And you all know that I am a “cook once, eat 3-4 times” kind of person.  So the first change I made was to substitute chicken thighs for the shrimp.  I also sauteed onion with the black beans instead of putting onion in the salsa, and reduced the jalapeno in the recipe to cut back on the heat.  Finally, I added some cucumber to bulk up the salsa.

Of course this isn’t a bowl, but it was much easier to photograph this recipe on a plate.  And right after the picture was taken, I tossed everything in a bowl and gave it a good stir.  I loved the mix of hot and cold – both in flavor and temperature!  This recipe was somewhat time intensive with the marinating, chopping, and sauteing, but it was worth it in the end.  I stored the rice, bean mixture, chicken, and salsa in separate containers so I could quickly create my own bowl for lunch or dinner.  This is a pretty flexible recipe, and I hope to create other bowl-type meals soon.

Chili Lime Chicken Bowls

1 t chili powder
1 t honey
1 t soy sauce
2 t minced garlic, divided
1 T lime juice
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, visible fat removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 c. cooked brown rice
1 T canola oil
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and diced
1 t cumin
1 Vidalia onion, peeled and chopped
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Mix chili powder, honey, soy sauce, 1 t minced garlic, and lime juice in a bowl.  Add chicken, toss to coat, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Add 1 t minced garlic and diced jalapeno.  Cook for 1 minute, and add cumin.  Cook for 1 minute more, and add chopped onion.  Saute for 15-20 minutes, until onion is soft.  Add beans and heat through.  Remove from pan and set aside.   Add chicken and marinade to pan, and cook until chicken pieces are done.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix pineapple, cucumber, and cilantro, and season with salt to taste.

Prepare bowls with a base of brown rice, followed by beans, chicken, and pineapple salsa.

-Recipe adapted from Budget Bytes

• Main Dishes