Blackened Chicken Bowls

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Delicious, juicy, blackened spice chicken over a bed of coconut rice with tangy cilantro lime dressing. Be prepared to be hooked after one bite.

These bowls are by far superior. They have a little bite from the seasoning on the blackened chicken and the dressing pairs just right drizzled over everything. This is an easy recipe you will love.

blacked chicken in a bowl with cilantro lime dressing.

Why Make This Blackened Chicken

This blackened chicken is easy to whip up. I am partial to serving it over these bowls but you can serve the chicken with anything savory. It's fantastic. The sweet, creamy rice and toppings are the perfect match for the heat. I cannot recommend this recipe enough. My husband said this is one of his favorite recipes of mine. Don't worry it's not overly spicy and I have tips on how to make it more mild if your heat tolerance is low.

Ingredients Needed

All ingredients for this recipe on a counter in small bowls and measuring cups.

Chicken Breast. I always go for boneless/skinless chicken breast. You can certainly use the spice rub on wings or thighs, but for this particular recipe, I go for the chicken breast.

Seasoning. The main component to this recipe, the seasoning! Salt, pepper, cayenne (which brings the heat), garlic, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme and smoked paprika. All of these are found in all grocery stores in the spice aisle.

Oil. I use a neutral olive oil. This is to brown the chicken and for the cilantro dressing.

Long Grain White Rice. This is one of my go-to rice's you can also use jasmine rice.

Coconut Milk. Full fat, canned coconut milk is to make the coconut rice. Coconut milk in the can is typically in the international aisle. You can also use reduced fat, however the full fat offers the most flavor.

White Sugar. Totally optional, I use a little bit in the coconut rice to bring out the flavor.

Fresh Cilantro. This is for the rice and for the cilantro lime dressing.

Lime Juice. Fresh lime juice is always best for dressings.

Maple Syrup. This is to sweeten and flavor the cilantro lime dressing.

Garlic. Fresh cloves are always best. this is for the dressing.

Optional Toppings

Red Cabbage. This is to add color and crunch to the bowls. You can also use green cabbage.

Pineapple Chunks. This pairs so well with everything. I like to use the fresh pineapple that is precut in the product department but canned will also work. You can use mango as well if you want!

Avocado. This add a nice creamy texture to the bowls.

Steps To Make This Recipe

Raw chicken in a skillet with seasoning. — Step One.

Step One. Set Oven to 375º. In a small bowl, whisk all of your seasoning together. Start with preparing your chicken breast. Pat it dry with a paper towel.If the breasts are really large, I like to cut them in half to keep an even cook. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large oven safe skillet. (Note* If you are cooking the chicken over the stovetop and not using my technique, dismiss setting the oven).

Step Two. Rub the spice mix all over both sides of the chicken. Make sure every bit of the breasts are covered. Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet. Cook each side for about 4 minutes. Once both sides are seared put into preheated oven in the oven safe skillet. Cook for about 16-18 minutes or until the chicken is 165º internal temp.

Dressing ingredients in a small blender.

Step Three. Once the chicken is in the oven finishing the cook, prepare the coconut rice. Because rice grains vary greatly, please keep in mind I am using long grain rice and this recipe is for long grain. Rinse the rice, add it to a medium sized sauce pan. Add in the water, coconut milk, sugar. Bring it to a simmer with a lid on and simmer lightly for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente.

Step Four. Prepare your dressing. Simply add all the ingredients into a small blender or food processor and blend! Taste to see if you need more salt.

Juicy sliced blackened chicken on a cutting board.

Final Steps To Assemble The Bowls

Step Five. Once the chicken is finished. Let it rest for a few minutes in order to keep it juicy. You can either serve it as is or slice it into stripes.

Step Five. Assemble the bowls. I place the coconut rice on the bottom followed by the chicken and the optional toppings and then add a drizzle of the insanely good dressing last.

Recipe Tips and FAQ's

Is this recipe really spicy?

This recipe is a medium spice in my opinion. If you would like to add more spice or less spice, just adjust the cayenne pepper. That is where a lot of the "heat" comes from.

Can I use a different cut of chicken?

Yes, this blackened chicken recipe works great for thighs and wings, you will just need to adjust the cook time a little bit.

If the coconut rice sweet?

You can determine the flavor in the coconut rice. Keep it mild without any sugar added, or you can add a little like I do to give it a sweet undertone. This is your call!

Do I have to rinse the rice?

You do not have to rinse the rice. Here's the thing, if you enjoy your rice similar to sticky rice, a little more"mushed" together then don't rinse. If you like your rice to be more separated and fluffed, give it a good rinse or soak. It's all preference.

Recipe Pairings.

This blackened chicken speaks for it self. The bowl had everything you could want. If you make the chicken alone, I would pair it with my Kale Salad With Lemon Honey Dressing.

Recipe Variations.

Rice. You can use any grain of choice in place of the coconut rice. Plain cooked quinoa would be yummy! Additionally, you can also serve this over a bed of lettuce to cut several calories out.

Cabbage. You can use red or green cabbage both are great. Also sub in kale or spinach.

Pineapple. Use any fruit of choice! This is optional and I love the pinapple paired with the other flavors in this bowl. Mango or peach would work well in place of pineapple.

Make This Recipe Lighter

You can cut calories in this recipe by skipping the coconut rice. Coconut milk adds some fat and the rice adds about 100 calories. Serve over a bed of lettuce instead! You can also leave off the avocado to lighten the calories.

Other Juicy Chicken Recipes

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