Spicy Thai Chicken Bowl

For an alternative to Thai take-out, try this fun recipe!

I discovered this delicious dish just the other night and since I made it that first time for my family, it has become a smash hit - we've had to have it two times since! I especially love serving the whole thing in one bowl.

I won't promise you it's one of my "easy ones" - it's not! Little more advanced and time-consuming, but worth every minute of effort! Mmmmm!

It’s easy to put together and yet all the nutritional elements are here - protein, veggies & simple and delicious noodles. Perfectly seasoned for those of us who take it easier on the heat, but easy to alter for those of you who may be a little more adventurous with the spice...

So, are you ready to try this FRESH new take on a Spicy Thai Chicken Bowl?

Ingredients

• 4-6 skin-on, boneless Chicken Thighs
• 6 ounces uncooked brown rice noodles
• 1 1/2 cups sliced and chopped yellow squash (about 2 small squash sliced 1/2 inch thick and cut into quarters)
• 1 cup sliced thinly baby Bok Choy (I use one bunch of 3-4 heads)
• 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• key limes, quartered (to use to squeeze over dish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add a swirl of canola oil. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Carefully lay the thighs, skin down, into the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes or until skin begins to brown. Remove chicken, and place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
2. Meanwhile, line a cookie pan with aluminum foil and place chicken, skin side down, on pan. Place pan in oven and bake for 4-5 minutes.
3. Remove pan and using tongs, turn chicken skin up and place pan back in oven for 2-3 minutes (or until cooked through.) Remove chicken from baking pan immediately and place on a cutting board to set for about 10 minutes. Just before serving, slice into 1 inch pieces.
4. While chicken is setting, make sauce (instructions below) in a blender and set aside in a dish. 
5. Boil the water for the rice noodles in a medium saucepan. Cook according to package instructions (usually rice noodles are not boiled, but rather placed in boiling water and then allowed to set for a few minutes, and then drained in strainer once they’ve softened.)
6. In the same large skillet over medium to high heat, add a Tbsp canola oil and swirl in pan. Add in chopped squash and baby Bok Choy and sauté for about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drizzle the soy sauce over the veggies.
7. Place a helping rice noodles, veggies and several strips of crispy chicken thigh into a bowl, then drizzle with blender sauce and squeeze lime over dish. 

To Make Sauce:

1/3 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup water

2 tsp fresh ginger (peeled)

3 garlic cloves

handful cilantro

Thai Chile pepper (fresh) – sliced open, stem & seeds removed (IF you like it spicier, add another 1/2 to whole pepper)

Instructions:

1. Take all ingredients and blend in a blender or food processor until completely blended and smooth.

2. Pour into a dish and set aside.

Let us know how you like this and our other FRESH recipes in the comments below! 

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps {Just Like the Restaurants!}

Hubby and I are cheap-skates when we go out to eat ... we're always on the lookout for deals and steals for our date nights! So we were thrilled when we discovered happy hour for appetizers and small plates at a local restaurant (with food we actually enjoyed!) ... and even more ecstatic when I figured out how to duplicate this dripping-with-flavor dish at home!

A few alterations later, we created this beautiful dish...

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Here's how to make it!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce (make homemade or use low-sodium version)

• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce (Mae Ploy is our fave choice!)

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated or minced

• 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken (I use the mild Italian one in grocery store - you can also use ground turkey)

• 1/2 cup green onion, diced

• 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

• 1 can water chestnuts, drained and finely minced

• 1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)

• 1/2 block firm tofu, drained & briefly seared, then diced into small pieces

• 1/2 cup fresh Baby Bella mushrooms, roughly diced

• 1 head living or butter lettuce

Garnish:

• Shredded purple cabbage

• Diced green onions

• Shredded fresh organic carrots

Instructions:

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in bowl, whisk together and set to the side.

2. In a large, deep, skillet over medium heat, brown ground chicken in tsp oil. Once chicken is cooked, remove from pan and drain. Set aside for now.

3. Using the same skillet, heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, water chestnuts, pine nuts, tofu and mushrooms together and saute for about 2 minutes.

4. Add the chicken back in, and pour ½ the sauce mixture over the meat and vegetables. Cook all of it together, uncovered, for about 3 or 4 minutes.

5. Serve the mixture in the “lettuce cups” and garnish with the shredded fresh veggies.

6. Use the remainder of the sauce as a dipping sauce,  or to drizzle to taste over the lettuce cups!

What about you friend? What restaurant favorite have you enjoyed and then tweaked in your own kitchen at home? Tell us about it HERE, and maybe we'll feature it (and YOU!) on this blog! 
 

This recipe was originally found on Favorite Family Recipes (www.favfamilyrecipes.com) and changed in a few ways to reflect the FRESH Start-style!

Mediterranean Chicken Salad Recipe

Eating out the healthy way can be challenging – for many reasons in our family! Four kids with very different tastes and likes, a tight family budget and a need to stay health-conscience all create the challenge of choosing healthy meals while we are out. 

So we have found solace in one of our go-to restaurants in our southern Arizona town – Pita Jungle! The whole family orders to their liking, we make sure to go during “happy hour” between 3 and 6 pm, and we can both afford AND enjoy dinner occasionally away from home. This salad became a standby favorite for us from that restaurant. As a healthy foodie, I found myself thinking about it between visits (can anyone relate? haha!) I decided that making it at home couldn’t be that hard….and voila….it’s NOT!

So for any of you who don’t have the access to a restaurant like this, or just LOVE to enjoy a FRESH, simple salad entrée for quick family dinners, here it is!

Mediterranean Chicken Salad – Coach Bess style!

Ingredients

• 1/2-1 lb chicken breast, grilled and diced

• Romaine lettuce, sliced into ribbons and chopped

• 1/2 cup sweet corn, roasted in olive oil stovetop for 3-4 minutes

• 1 cucumber, diced into ½ inch chunks

• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced into ½ inch chunks

• 2 stalks celery, sliced into thin pieces

• Handful cilantro, chopped

• 1/2-3/4 cup previously made Tabouli (recipe link for this below!)

• 1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles (optional)

• 1/4 cup toasted pinions (pinenuts - these are optional)
  
  Dressing

• 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Make sure that ALL ingredients are chopped and diced into the same size pieces before stirring together into a chopped salad-type dish. The chicken can easily be prepared ahead of time (previously grilled) and refrigerated, then use cold since this is a cold salad.

2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together until completely blended, taste-test and adjust as needed for taste/consistency. Dressing should be a semi-thick mixture. Pour over chopped salad, then toss all together.

3. Serve salad immediately for best taste and texture.

Make ahead items: Grilled Chicken and Tabouli - both can be made ahead up to a day or two and refrigerated. (Find the recipe for Coach Bess’ Tabouli HERE & her classic Grilled Chicken Recipe HERE)

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The delicious dressing - takes just seconds to whisk together!