Poached Chicken and Rice Bowls with Sesame Ginger Sauce

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

4 cups water
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts*
1 bunch scallions, white/light green ends trimmed off, dark green parts thinly sliced
2-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
½ tsp kosher salt
2-3 cups cooked rice
1 large cucumber, sliced into rounds
Fresh cilantro

2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus more for topping
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic
1 or 2-inch knob ginger
*If your breasts are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise in the thickest part so they cook faster and more evenly.

Cook 2-3 cups worth of rice (about 1-2 cups dry)
Trim white/light green parts off the scallions and thinly slice the dark green parts
Thinly slice a 2-inch knob ginger into strips
Poach the chicken and simmer the broth
Make the sauce
Slice 1 large cucumber into rounds

Cook the rice (instructions here).
In a large pot, add water, chicken, the white/light green parts of the scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Give it a gentle stir to combine, then bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to low to maintain a gentle simmer for 7 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken over, cover again, and simmer for 4-8 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (depends on size of breast, 160F).
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Continue to simmer the broth rapidly, uncovered, over medium heat for about 5-7 more minutes to reduce it a bit. Remove the ginger, scallion, and garlic chunks (or pour the liquid through a strainer into a liquid measuring cup).
In a high-speed blender (a small or personal sized blender works best), add all of the sauce ingredients. Blend until totally smooth. Slice up the chicken.
To assemble, scoop rice into a bowl. Pour some of the broth into the bowl. Top with sliced chicken, cucumbers, and lots of herbs. Spoon some of the sauce all over the chicken. Top with more sesame seeds and dig in!

Substitutions:

To make vegetarian/vegan, use tofu cubes in place of chicken - simmer them in the broth uncovered for the same amount of time and follow the recipe as is.
You could serve this with noodles instead of rice.
Sub cucumbers with radishes or any raw crunchy veg.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Sauce: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Broth: up to 7 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer

I found the best way to reheat this is to reheat each component separately and then assemble. Be sure to give the sauce a stir before spooning over the chicken. Top with cukes, herbs, sauce, and sesame seeds.
To reheat rice, cover it with a dripping wet paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minutes until it’s warmed through.
Top your bowls with a fried or boiled egg.