THAI BASIL CHICKEN BOWLS
It's 6:00 pm, and you have nothing planned for dinner. Again. If you're like many folks, including blogger and author Chungah Rhee, this happens more often than you care to admit! Wanting to regain control of her health and eating habits, Chungah turned to meal prep: the secret weapon that keeps everyone from celebrities and athletes to busy parents and young professionals on-track and eating well.
Chungah quickly found that meal prep is an amazing way to save time and money and to keep you and your family eating healthy all week long. By taking the time to plan your meals, prep ingredients, and do some cooking ahead of time, it's easy to have perfectly portioned healthy options at your fingertips for any time of the day.
Inside are Chungah's go-to recipes-including some favorites from the blog. You'll find inspiration for delectable protein-packed breakfasts, energy-boosting snacks, and slimmed-down comfort food favorites-none of which sacrifice flavor. Who wouldn't be enticed by a 205-calorie Breakfast Croissant Sandwich or an under-500-calorie Mason Jar Lasagna? She also arms readers with dozens of tools for making habit changes actually stick. This indispensable cookbook is sure to help you live a healthier (and more delicious) life.
PREP TIME: 15 minutes | COOK TIME: 30 minutes | TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes | YIELD: 4 servings
If I had to choose one recipe from this entire book to cook tonight, it would be this one. Hands down. It’s one of those short-ingredient-list, quick-stir-fry dinners that just knock it out of the park. Because at the end of the day, simple is best, and that’s exactly what we have here.
We start with crumbling some ground chicken breast (turkey is also a great substitute), then stirring in a super-simple sauce base that packs such a punch. And the red Thai chile pepper adds just enough heat without being too overpowering. But you can be as heavy- or light-handed as you like. It just depends on your tolerance.
Serve with jasmine rice to have the easiest, simplest, and heartiest dinner at fewer than 400 calories per serving. That’s 397, to be exact.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1⁄2 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 red Thai chile pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 1⁄4 pounds ground chicken breast
- 1 1⁄2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
DIRECTIONS
- Cook the rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar; set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and chile. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in the stock mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the basil until just wilted, about 30 seconds.
- Divide the rice into bowls and top with the chicken mixture. Or portion into meal prep bowls and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.
NUTRITION FACTS: CALORIES: 397.0 / TOTAL FAT: 10.0 / TRANS FAT: 0.0 / SATURATED FAT: 2.0 / CHOLESTEROL: 55.0 /
SODIUM: 1152.0 / CARBOHYDRATES: 38.0 / FIBER: 0 .0 / SUGAR: 3.0 / PROTEIN: 21.0
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