Verde Chicken Bowl

Let’s get this out in the open now: riced cauliflower is bland.

If you open a bag of cooked cauliflower rice and expect to be blown away by its taste—I’m sorry. It’s not going to happen.

Cauliflower rice desperately yearns for seasoning. Even if it’s as simple as a little pat of butter, salt and pepper; the rice substitute calls for it. Cauliflower rice needs it.

Not only that, but don’t expect it to taste like rice, either. It doesn’t have the same texture profile. I love it as a substitute for starchy rice, but I also know it tastes nothing like the real thing.

If you amp it up enough with certain ingredients, you can kind of trick your mind into thinking it’s the same as rice. That’s why I love putting it into bowls. It works best when your using some more south-of-the-border foods mixed in with it.

I made a cilantro-lime cauliflower rice for this bowl and it was mind-blowingly good. It’s simple:

• 1 bag cauliflower rice, cooked
• 2 TBS. butter
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• salt & pepper

Mix everything together and you have a fantastic base for a Mexican-style bowl. I went with a “green” approach for the bowl: loads of salsa verde, shredded cabbage, more cilantro, and avocado. Top it off with some Monterey Jack cheese and spiced chicken breast and you’re in for a real treat.

Enjoy!

Verde Chicken Bowl

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 20 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice topped with cumin & chili spiced chicken, salsa verde, avocado, cilantro, cheese and cabbage.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• salt & pepper
• 1 TBS. olive oil
• Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice (see above)
• Shredded cabbage, Monterey Jack cheese, avocado slices, fresh cilantro and salsa verde, for topping

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Rub spices, salt and pepper over chicken breast. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Slice when cool enough to handle.
2. Build your bowl: start with a bed of cilantro-lime cauliflower rice and top with chicken, cabbage, cheese, avocado and cilantro. Drizzle salsa verde over chicken slices.

I didn’t take any pictures of me cooking the chicken (oops) but will be back at again next time!

P.S.: you might also want to try a dollop of sour cream or crema on top of you bowl. Pretty much everything is better with sour cream, in my opinion.