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Spicy Peanut Chicken and Kale Rice Bowls

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  • 1 cup short grain brown rice (about 2 1/2 cups cooked)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup natural peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 4 cups loosely packed chopped kale
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ -½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
  • 1 cucumber peeled, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup chopped peanuts
  • ½ cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, basil, and/or cilantro)
  • 4 lime wedges

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Cook 1 cup short grain brown rice
  • Prep 4 cups kale
  • Make peanut sauce

Instructions

  • Cook your rice if you don’t have it prepped. Simmer it in a pot of water for 25-30 minutes, drain and set aside.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground chicken and salt and break it up into small chunks as it cooks. Continue to cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce or tamari, maple syrup, and sesame oil until smooth. Set aside.
  • Add in the kale, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 2 minutes, or until the kale softens and wilts, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the peanut mixture to the pan and cook, mixing everything to coat in the peanut sauce, for about 2 more minutes.
  • Serve with rice and top with chopped cucumber, peanuts, herbs, and squeeze with lime.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make vegan/vegetarian: substitute drained/pressed and crumbled tofu for the chicken. Cook in oil until golden and follow the recipe as is. 
  • Use ground turkey instead of chicken.
  • Use any leafy green in place of kale or substitute with finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower. Any finely chopped veggie or leafy green works!
  • Lighten it up and turn it into a lettuce wrap! Add chicken into butter lettuce or romaine leaf and top with avocado, peanuts, herbs, and lime.
  • Use any nut or seed butter in place of peanut butter.
  • Use any raw crunchy, refreshing veggie in place of cucumber.

Storage:

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
    • Peanut chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer
    • Rice: up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Simply warm up the chicken and rice and top with plenty of cucumber, herbs, peanuts and lime. 
  • Turn it into a lettuce wrap! Add rice and chicken into butter lettuce or romaine leaf and top with avocado, peanuts, herbs, and lime.