Chicken and Yellow Rice

This vegan chicken and yellow rice is a delicious and satisfying meal that comes together easily while offering 30 g of protein per serving.

Course Main Course

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 1046

Author Timothy Pakron

Ingredients

Yellow Rice

2 cups white basmati rice
2 tablespoons plant butter
1 medium shallot minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 fresh or dried bay leaves (optional)

Chicken & Greens

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
½ tablespoon ground cumin
Big pinch dried oregano
½ cup water
2-3 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons golden barbecue sauce or other desired sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 small hot chilies minced (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion or 2 large shallots chopped
Pinch sea salt more to taste
Few cracks black pepper more to taste
1 10 oz package Abbot’s Chick'n (or desired vegan chicken)
2 large handfuls desired greens such as kale, spinach, or sliced brussels
Coconut yogurt to garnish
1 green onion thinly sliced (or desired herbs)
1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions

Prepare the oven and rinse the rice: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 450°F (232°C). Then rinse the rice thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs almost clear. Set aside to drain while you prepare your aromatics.
Sauté the aromatics and toast the rice: Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, add the minced shallots and garlic, along with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring every so often, until the shallots have softened. Reduce the heat to medium and add the turmeric, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Toast for a minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Then add the rinsed rice, mix well, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add the water, rice vinegar, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
Bake the rice: Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. At this point, remove it and taste some of the rice to check for doneness. If it’s not fully tender, place the cover back on and continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes. Once tender, remove from the oven and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Crack the lid over top and set aside.
Prepare the spice blend and stir fry sauce: To a small bowl, add the nutritional yeast, cumin, and oregano, and set aside. To a separate, larger bowl, add the water, tamari (use less if you are sensitive to salt), barbecue sauce, rice vinegar, and chilies or red peppers flakes (if using). Stir to combine and set aside. (The dish comes together quickly, so having your dry and wet ingredients already measured out helps ensure the process is smooth and stress-free.)
Sauté the onions and chicken: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions along with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring every so often, or until the onions just begin to soften around the edges. Then add the plant-based chicken and let cook, undisturbed, for another 4 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Use a thin metal spatula to toss, scraping up all the brown bits, and cook for 4 additional minutes, until there’s a good amount of browning all over. Toss and scrape the bottom again, then add the dry spice blend. Stir constantly for 20 seconds until fragrant.
Add the sauce and finish: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the set-aside stir fry sauce. Stir to combine, and let the mixture cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom to prevent sticking. Once the stir-fry sauce has thickened and thoroughly coats the chicken pieces, turn off the heat and add the greens. Let the greens wilt for a minute. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, if needed.
Garnish and serve: To plate, scoop some of the freshly baked yellow rice into desired bowls, then top with the chicken and greens. Add a dollop of coconut yogurt, a sprinkling of thinly sliced green onions or desired fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe serves 2 but you could easily double the chicken and greens portion if you wanted to serve 4. There will be plenty of rice and any leftovers will keep beautifully in the fridge.

If you don’t have an oven-safe pot with a lid, you can sauté the initial part of the rice recipe in a skillet and transfer it to a baking dish once everything is cooked and wrap it tightly with foil to bake.

Nutrition