Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl

It’s fall, y’all.

Well, I may be a few weeks early. Or in Oklahoma’s case, a few months early.

But hear me out. I usually set up my fall decorations on August 1st. Why? So I can maximize the amount of time I have with them. I love fall, I love fall colors, and I love fall decor. Since I decorate for Christmas on November 1st, that gives me 3 whole months with my favorite time of year.

Just let me have my joy, please.

I was a little late this year because of the move (and the lack of being able to find anything AFTER the move) but I’ve finally got all my special fall decorations up. I had forgotten about some that I bought last year, like the orange owl wall hanging we put up on our new wall outside (it used to be a door to nowhere).

I also picked up some fall decorations at a garage sale earlier this summer, like this nifty table cloth and long candle holder.

When I’m not obsessing over my fall decor, I’m cooking. When I’m not cooking, I’m obsessing over my fall decor. It’s a fair trade-off.

This meal comes courtesy of Pinterest inspiration. I wanted something light and refreshing to eat for lunch this week and this recipe hit it out of the park. It’s got all of my favorite things: sweet red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, crispy cucumbers, and sweet-and-spicy chicken.

It’s really easy to put together and really easy to make your own. Don’t like cucumbers? Throw in some carrots instead. Have some peanuts to spare? Top it off with some!

I put anything I could find in my kitchen into the bowl, including some slightly-stale chow mein noodles. The possibilities are truly endless!

PS: You can use whatever you want as the base. I made a big batch of cilantro-lime rice the other day and that’s what I used. Quinoa, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice or salad would work great, too.

PPS: If you haven’t tried mini cucumbers at the store, you need to. I know they’re nothing new, but my grocery store was out of full-sized cucumbers the other day and I was forced to grab a bag of the mini cukes. Color me surprised! They’re much more refreshing and crisp than their full-size counterparts.

Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl

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

A bowl bursting with fresh flavors and sweet-and-spicy chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. Chinese five spice
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• salt
• 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• Sugar snap peas, pineapple, cucumbers, red bell pepper, fresh cilantro, chow mein, peanuts for serving
• Rice, brown rice, quinoa or salad mix for serving

Directions

1. Season chicken thighs with turmeric, coriander, Chinese five spice, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat (if using grill pan, wipe down with oil first). Grill chicken until browned and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate to let cool.
2. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into bite-size pieces. Toss chicken with Thai sweet chili sauce.
3. Make your bowl: start with a bed of rice, quinoa or salad greens. Top with chicken and your favorite ingredients and serve with extra Thai sweet chili sauce on the side.