~Amanda~
I absolutely love summertime and that it’s the season of grilling! It’s time to hit those farmers markets, get all the fresh produce you can find, light up the grills, and spend your evenings outside making delicious dinners. One of my favorite things to make, no matter what the season, are rice bowls. I love a big bowl of delicious rice topped with meat and fresh veggies, and an amazing sauce. The great thing about rice bowls is that there are an unlimited number of combinations you can make depending on the season and what produce and proteins are available. When the summer months hit, I not only get inspired by the fresh produce that’s available, but also by the way the weather makes me feel. I love all the warm weather and pool days in the summer and it’s definitely got me in a summer state of mind and craving some Hawaiian flavors so I made these incredibly delicious Hawaiian (and tropical) inspired bowls. The base is a curried ginger rice that you top with grilled teriyaki chicken, pineapple, and veggies, and then pour the most amazing pineapple habanero Sriracha sauce over top. YUM!
Summer weather and activities are always the best inspiration to eat light and healthy and this dish is perfect for that; I used brown rice, fresh chicken and veggies, and Greek yogurt in the sauce to keep everything light. The first step in making the dish is to prepare the rice, since that will take the longest to cook. You begin by sautéing Thai red curry paste, ginger, and garlic in some coconut oil. Now if that doesn’t scream tropical, warm summer flavors, I don’t know what does. You then add coconut milk (I use light milk in the cartons as opposed to the heavy canned coconut milk), water, and kidney beans, bring to a boil and then add the brown rice and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until cooked though. While the rice is cooking, you’ll grill the chicken, pineapple, and veggies. Grilled pineapple is one of my favorite things in the world, its sweet and juicy and sooooo good. I have learned over the past few months living with Conor that he is an amazing griller (and he looks so good doing it), so I always put him in charge of grilling the food for our meals. This one’s very simple; just coat the chicken, pineapple, and veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and grill! Once the chicken is grilled, you cut it in cubes and toss in a bowl with teriyaki sauce (I recommend this one from San-J) for that delicious Hawaiian flavor.
Now that last step, and maybe the most delicious; the pineapple habanero Greek yogurt sauce! This sauce finishes the dish so well as you get the refreshing hit of the cool Greek yogurt, the sweetness from the pineapple habanero sauce, spice from some Siracha, and some zestiness from the lime juice. It ties everything together so well and completes the dish. The Pineapple Habanero Sauce I buy is from CostCo. It is seriously one of the best things ever and you should probably go buy it immediately; we use it as a marinade for so many meats and veggies, mix it with some Greek yogurt and olive oil to make salad dressing, or even use it as a dipping sauce for quesadillas. You’ll find yourself using it multiple times a week! Now once you have all your components prepared, place the rice in the bottom of your bowls, then add the chicken, pineapple, and veggies, and drizzle with the Greek yogurt sauce. Eat your meal outside in the warm weather and while you’re enjoying the delicious Hawaiian flavors you can almost pretend like you’re on a little getaway of your own!
Recipe adapted from the one found on Carls Bad Cravings.
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup uncooked long grained brown rice
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (I use San-J Gluten Free Teriyaki)
- 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 pineapple sliced into strips
- 2 zucchini, sliced into strips
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons pineapple habanero sauce (or any tropical marmalade/sauce)
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
- Place a pot over medium heat and add coconut oil, melt. Add the red curry paste, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the coconut milk, water, and kidney beans and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for approximately 30-40 minutes or until rice is tender and cooked through.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat and coat the chicken breasts, pineapple, and veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Grill the chicken first for about 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from grill, and lest rest for about 5 minutes. Cut into cubes and place in a large bowl with the teriyaki sauce. Toss to combine.
- While the chicken is resting, grill the pineapple and veggies until tender and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. That's it!
- Place rice in the bottom of the bowls, top with the chicken, pineapple, and veggies, drizzle the Greek yogurt sauce over the top (or place on the side). Enjoy!
