Chicken and Wild Rice

5 from 6 votes

With seasoned wild rice, grilled chicken, tender sweet potatoes, and a delicious cilantro lime sauce, these Chicken and Wild Rice bowls are irresistible.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: wild rice and chicken

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $10.49

Equipment

Grill

Ingredients

Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chicken grilling blend see note 1
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Bowl

2 (6-ounce) packages Long Grain and Wild Rice packaged mix see note 2
5 sweet potatoes
Toppings as desired see note 3

Sauce

4 limes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro gently packed
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 clove garlic coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Zest limes with a zester to get 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice the limes using a citrus juicer to get 1/4 cup lime juice. In a small blender, combine the lime juice and zest with all the sauce ingredients except the olive oil. Pulse to combine ingredients. Once combined, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse just to incorporate. Transfer sauce to a mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Follow package directions to prepare wild rice. Once cooked, fluff with a fork. Keep the lid on to keep warm while preparing the chicken and potatoes.
Wash and scrub four to five sweet potatoes, totaling about 2 pounds. Pierce each potato with a fork 6–8 times, then place them on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 5 minutes, flip the potatoes, and cook for another 3–5 minutes until tender and easily pierced. Cooking times may vary based on potato size; larger ones will take longer. Once cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and peel off the skins with your fingers. Spray both sides with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with salt.
In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, salt, pepper, chicken seasoning, and cumin, then set aside. Slice large chicken breasts in half horizontally and cover them with plastic wrap to prevent splatter. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan, pound the breasts to an even thickness without flattening them. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Brush both sides of each chicken piece with the seasoning and oil blend or use your hands to apply it. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to medium-high, around 400–450℉. Add the chicken to the cleaned and greased grill; you can rub the grates with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil. Grill the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side, flipping halfway, until it reaches 160℉. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover it loosely with foil. If desired, sprinkle a little extra salt on the chicken. Next, add the sweet potatoes to the grill and cook for 2 minutes per side, flipping halfway with tongs. Remove them to a plate to cool slightly, then coarsely chop the sweet potatoes and thinly slice or chop the chicken breasts.
Divide the wild rice into bowls and top with chicken and sweet potatoes. Add any optional toppings you like, such as a handful of arugula or spinach, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and thinly sliced or chopped ripe avocado. Drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: I like Mrs. Dash's® chicken grilling blend, which does not have salt added. Whatever chicken seasoning blend you use, make sure it doesn't have salt added or you'll need to adjust the salt amount in the rub.

Note 2: Here's what I use when making wild rice; if you'd rather not used packaged wild rice, read the blog post for a homemade wild rice recipe.

Note 3: I love to top these bowls with arugula spinach blend, avocado, sliced almonds, dried cranberries or dried tart cherries!

Storage: As the sauce chills, it thickens and may form clumps from the olive oil solidifying. Before using, let the sauce sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, then shake or stir to remix. For meal prep, divide the cooked chicken, rice, sweet potatoes, and sauce into five containers. Layer equal amounts of rice, chicken, and sweet potatoes, and store the sauce in smaller containers. Add any additional ingredients, like lettuce and toppings, to small bags. For avocado, add it fresh each day to prevent browning.

Nutrition