Chicken and Cilantro Rice Salad Bowl

Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. and Pinnacle Foods Group LLC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Lunchtime for me is a bit of an adventure. Since I technically work from home, I usually just heat something up from the night before and have that as my lunch. Sometimes I’ll whip up something quick, or I might even head out for lunch somewhere local, although usually I just bring it back home with me. On the occasion that I do feel like preparing something, I like to make something quick and easy. I feel like lunch should be simple. It should be easy to make, it should be nutritious, and it should be delicious! Sometimes I’ll get wrapped up in my work and will put off my lunch until “Oh my goodness, I’m starving!” mode hits, that’s when quick and easy is truly key. I also love salads, and I love a good bowl. Any dish, in a bowl, is a winner for me. Burrito bowls, lasagna bowl, any kind of bowl. I love it. Something else I’ve loved for quite some time is Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Chicken. It’s one of my (not so) secret ingredients that I try to always keep on hand for those hungry moments when I wait till the last minute for food. This chicken is literally the best of both worlds, delicious and healthy for protein filled meals that are simple and convenient to make!

It’s also great for salads. Or burritos. Or bowls. Which is exactly what I made with it this time around. I even used a little splash of Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing when I was cooking the chicken for a bit of added delicious flavor. Worked like a charm. What I love about Wish-Bone® is that it’s a full-flavored dressing with no high fructose corn syrup and it’s packed full of herbs, seasonings and flavors for an extra zesty boost of flavor. Yum!

So, here’s the deal. I often make salads and smoothies and bowls in a most random way. Just sort of what I have on hand. Sometimes I’ll have an idea of what I want when I go shopping, but when it comes time to make it I’ll change my mind and add a bit of this and that, and pass on this or that. That’s pretty much what happened when I made this Chicken and Cilantro Rice Salad Bowl.

While shopping at my local Walmart I picked up the Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing and the Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Chicken, since these are staple items I usually keep on hand anyway. I also usually purchase white rice, some extra virgin olive oil, and plenty of greens and veggies, as well as fruit. I also knew I wanted to start making some more lunches at home, instead of heading out to buy my lunches, and I love salads so that was pretty much my plan. However, I thought this bowl would maybe have tomatoes in it (it doesn’t) and I didn’t plan on including apples (but I’m so glad I did). Sometimes you just have to get creative and go with the flow. This fun little bowl is so good, so filling, and so easy to whip up! It’s full of flavor, veggies, and protein. It’s also colorful and fun, I’d even make it for an easy weeknight dinner instead of lunch!

I knew I was using the chicken, but the veggies just sort of happened. I love cucumbers and think they’re amazing with Italian dressing, so that was a given. I also love to use different types of greens and mixes, so for this one I used this arugula and spinach combo, but really you can use any greens you like! I also added thinly sliced carrots for some color and crunch, and I had an apple sitting in the fruit bowl and figured, “Why not?” It was the perfect added sweetness. Chunks of Colby jack finished this off with some easy to make cilantro rice and a bit more Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing to go with my seasoned chicken strips.

The result was a tasty and flavorful bowl full of color, protein and a great balance of nutrition.

Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Rice:

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• juice from 1 lime
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper

Ingredients for Seasoned Chicken Strips:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8-10 strips Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Chicken
• lemon pepper
• smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing

Ingredients for chicken and rice salad bowl:

• 1 cup prepared cilantro lime rice (recipe above)
• 1 cup spinach and arugula mix
• 8-10 prepared seasoned chicken strips (recipe above)
• 1/2 medium cucumber, halved then sliced
• 1/2 medium carrot, cut into thin strips
• 1 small honeycrisp apple, diced
• colby jack cheese, diced
• fresh cracked pepper
• Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing

Directions:

Begin by bringing two cups of water to a boil. Add one cup white rice, butter, and lime juice just before the water begins to boil. Once boiling, stir, then cover – reducing heat to a simmer.

After 20 minutes of simmering while covered, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Now set rice aside.

In a saute pan, add the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once they begin to melt, add the chicken strips and lightly season with lemon pepper and smoked paprika (my favorite seasoning combo!).

Stir every so often until the chicken is browned with a bit of a char to the edges.

Once mostly cooked through (after about 5 minutes) add the Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing and stir into the chicken. Let cook another minute or two before removing from heat.

Now to assemble the bowls. Add rice, spinach and arugula to a bowl, then top with chicken.

Add cucumber, carrots, apples and cheese to the bowl.

Top with pepper and Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to make a one-bowl meal?

Do you have a favorite way to make a good meal great? Any must-have pantry items that are your go-to’s in a pinch? For more inspiration check out Wish-Bone® and Tyson’s® list of one-bowl recipes, and don’t forget to swing by Walmart for your favorite ingredients!