Japanese Chicken and Spinach Rice Bowls

Grain, protein, and vegetable bowls are popular now, and once you taste this one, you will understand why. It is a nourishing bowl that combines the comfort of chicken soup with the color and flavor of fresh vegetables. You can also customize the bowl to suit your preferences or what you have on hand. If you are out of brown rice you can substitute cooked quinoa, farro or whole grain couscous. You might also top your bowl with chopped cucumbers, shredded carrots, or chopped bell peppers. And, if you enjoy spicy food, increase the red pepper flakes.

📝 Ingredients

• chicken breasts 1.00 lbs boneless
• skinless halves
• all visible fat discarded
• celery 1.00 stalks cut into fourths
• onion(s) 0.50 med cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• garlic 2.00 clove minced
• lower sodium soy sauce 1.00 tsp
• rice vinegar 1.00 tsp
• crushed red pepper flakes 0.13 tsp
• water 3.00 cup
• no-salt-added chicken stock 2.00 cup fat-free
• brown rice 0.67 cup
• spinach 4.00 cup lightly packed
• fresh leaves
• trimmed and coarsely chopped
• radishes 4.00 med thinly sliced
• green onion (scallion) 2.00 stalks thinly sliced
• sesame seeds 2.00 tsp toasted

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Place the chicken in a medium slow cooker. Add the celery pieces
2. 2onion wedges
3. 3garlic
4. 4soy sauce
5. 5vinegar
6. 6and hot pepper flakes. Add the water and chicken stock. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours
7. 7or until the chicken is fully cooked and the chicken reaches a temperature of 165 F.
8. 8About an hour before serving
9. 9prepare the rice using the package directions
10. 10omitting the salt and margarine.
11. 11Using a slotted spoon
12. 12lift the chicken out of the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a deep bowl. Pour the hot broth back into the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to High.
13. 13Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir back into the hot broth in the slow cooker. Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook on High for 15 minutes.
14. 14Spoon 1/2 cup cooked brown rice into each serving bowl. Ladle 1 1/2 cups chicken
15. 15spinach
16. 16and broth mixture over the rice. Top with sliced radishes and green onions. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
17. 17Pressure Cooker Variation: Place the chicken
18. 18celery
19. 19onion
20. 20garlic
21. 21soy sauce
22. 22vinegar
23. 23and hot pepper flakes in the pressure cooker. Add the water and chicken stock. Secure the lid. Cook on High pressure for 6 minutes. Quickly release the pressure. Remove the chicken and set on a cutting board. Strain the broth and return it to the pressure cooker. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir it into the broth. Set the pressure cooker on the sauté setting. Stir in the spinach and cook
24. 24stirring frequently
25. 25for 3 to 5 minutes or until the spinach is cooked. Proceed as the recipe direct
26. 26ladling the chicken and spinach over the cooked brown rice and top with radishes
27. 27green onions
28. 28and sesame seeds.