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Delicious, juicy, blackened chicken bowls 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.
Please note this recipe is republished from my original recipe in 2022
Why Make This Blackened Chicken
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.
If you love spicy meals, try my Chipotle Chicken, Spicy Chicken Burgers, or Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich as well, so yummy!
- Easy To Make. Just a few simple steps to make.
- Customize it! Make it as spicy as you’d like.
- Meal Prep Friendly. Perfect for prepping for the week.
Ingredient Notes
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- 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. Feel free to read more about my Blackened Chicken Seasoning Here.
- 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
- Step One. Set Oven to 375º. In a small bowl, whisk all of your seasoning together. Start with preparing your chicken breast.
- 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.
- Step Three. Once the chicken is in the oven finishing the cook, prepare the coconut rice.
- 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.
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 Six. 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 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 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.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the chicken! It’s always best to have a digital meat thermometer. This will help keep the chicken nice and juicy.
- Make This Recipe Lighter. In Calories. 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.
- Taste The Dressing. You may want to add more lime juice or honey to your liking.
Other Dinners To Try
If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.
Blackened Chicken
Delicious, juicy, blackened spice chicken over a bed of coconut rice with tangy cilantro lime dressing. Be prepared to be hooked after one bite.
Equipment
- large cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet
- sauce pan for rice
Ingredients
Blackened Chicken
- 1½ -2 lbs chicken breast, boneless/skinless
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, more or less as needed
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp salt
Coconut Rice
- 1½ cup long grain white rice
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1¼ cup water
- 1-2 Tbsp white granulated sugar, optional
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro, optional
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice, *about 2 limes
- 1½ tsp maple syrup, or honey
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp salt
Optional Toppings
- ½ cup red cabbage, shredded
- ⅓ cup pineapple, chopped
- 1 sliced avocado
Instructions
- 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).
- Rub the spice mix all over both sides of the chicken. Make sure every bit of the breasts are covered well. Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet. Cook each side for about 4-5 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.
- 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.
- Prepare the dressing. Simply add all the ingredients into a small blender or food processor and blend! Taste to see if you need more salt.
- Once the chicken is finished. Let it rest for a few minutes. You can either serve it as is or slice it.
- 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. Enjoy.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the chicken! It’s always best to have a digital meat thermometer. This will help keep the chicken nice and juicy.
- Make This Recipe Lighter In Calories. You can cut calories in this recipe by skipping the coconut rice. Coconut milk adds quite 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.
- Taste The Dressing. You may want to add more lime juice or honey to your liking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 663kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 746IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
This was delicious. The chicken was beyond perfect and juicy, and the dressing was incredible. Great recipe all around.
This was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. You’ve outdone yourself 🤗.
Such an amazing mix! It gave me Hawaiian vibes & the coconut rice was to die for!!! One of the best recipes I’ve made in awhile. I added jalapeños too for an extra spice!
Very flavorful!!! Used grilled chicken but other than that I followed the exact recipe. Will make again!!
I’m so glad to hear! Grilled chicken is always a great option. Thanks for making and sharing 🥰
This is probably my favorite meal on your site! The only mods I make are to sub the pineapple for fresh sliced mango. It’s the perfect marriage of light but filling, summery and healthy. That dressing sends it over the top!
Thank you so much Holly! My husband said the same thing – this is his favorite meal of mine 🥰. Thanks for letting me know! xoxo
Would brown rice work okay for the coconut rice?
You can definitely do brown rice, but I would prefer long grain white rice personally 🙂 enjoy!
Approximate cook time for the chicken if I do stove only?
This one of my favs. I love love love everything you share with us. Thanks sooo
Much.
This recipe is a winner and will be on repeat at our house! The chicken had just enough heat, the cilantro was excellent and the pineapple added such good flavor. And btw rice made with coconut milk was new to me and it was silky smooth!
Hi Meg! I am so happy to hear this, we love coconut rice really happy you finally got to make it 🙂
I followed the recipe and it is very tasty as written! Just for our own preference for a lot of spice and spiciness, next time I will double the spices and add chopped jalapeno to the Cilantro Lime Dressing before it is blended. Thanks for a great and relatively easy recipe!
This recipe is amazing! The dressing and a perfectly paired with the chicken and rice. I only made 4 servings and my family wanted more! Great recipe!