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Honey Balsamic Chicken, Veggies & Forbidden Rice
When we first brought Sophia home from the hospital, Katie's mom Judy stayed with us for a week to help out. Not only did she help us with the baby but she also made some of her favorite healthy dishes which quickly made their way into our recipe book! A lot of the recipes we make we saw online, at our favorite restaurants or even on the Food Network and then we give them a healthy twist, substituting some unhealthy ingredients and condiments for healthier options.
One of our favorites Katie's mom made was her Honey Balsamic Chicken and Veggie dish...sooo good!
This recipe is super easy to double too for big families or when entertaining friends.
Don't be afraid to get in the kitchen and cook!! Even though eating out or getting takeout seems so much easier after a long day, cooking at home is so much healthier. Living a healthy lifestyle and really getting the results you are looking for requires commitment and discipline. You can do it!!
Whenever we think about ordering takeout but swing by Whole Foods instead and cook at home we are always SO happy we did.
So here is a great new recipe to try!
Shopping List (Whenever possible, we encourage you to buy organic):
1 lb of white meat boneless/skinless chicken breast or chicken cutlets
1 lb of fresh green beans
1 small container of cherry tomatoes
1 lemon
1 small bag of Forbidden Black Rice (you can also use a brown rice)
Extra Virgin Oil Oil
Dried Oregano
2 Garlic Cloves
Small Raw Honey (2 TBSP)
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt/Pepper
Pans/Bowls Needed
You will need two medium to large sauté pans.
For the rice, you will need one small sauce pan.
To make the sauces, you will need two small mixing bowls.
How To:
With this recipe, we found it to be super easy to make if we prep everything first and make both sauces before beginning.
Also, most Forbidden Rice we buy takes a good 30-40 minutes to cook on the stove top so get this started first before prepping anything else. If you are in a time crunch, there are some quicker pre-cooked brown rice options available. But...if you haven't tried Forbidden Rice, it is worth the wait. Plus, in the time it takes to prep and cook everything else, the rice will be just perfect...hot, fluffy and ready to eat.
Depending on the rice you choose, follow the cooking directions. Remember, one cup of uncooked rice typically makes 3 cups of cooked rice. We find this to be more than enough for two.
(Sauce #1) In one small mixing bowl, combine the following & mix together:
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1 Squeezed Lemon
2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
(Sauce #2) In one small mixing bowl, combine the following:
4 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
2 TBSP Raw Honey
Next...Prep the Green Beans & Chicken!
Wash the green beans and cut off the ends.
Lightly season the boneless/skinless chicken breast with salt and pepper.
Cut chicken breast into medium sized chunks
Take your two sauté pans and add 1 tsp of olive oil in each.
In the first pan over medium heat, add the green beans and sauté until they are cooked but still crunchy. Using caution, feel free to grab one out with a fork and take a small bite to determine its doneness. Once done, remove from the pan and set aside.
In the second pan over medium heat, add the chicken breast you diced in medium chunks. Cook thoroughly (no pink), approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Once done, remove from the pan and set aside.
Now, in the same pan you just cooked the chicken, you are going to add both sauces and set the heat to medium.
Once the sauces are bubbling, add the green beans and chicken back in. Toss it all together until the sauces are coating the chicken and veggies.
Next, toss in a handful of cherry tomatoes, maybe 12-15 and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
By now, the rice should be done! It's time to plate.
Put a scoop of rice on the plate, about 1/2-1 cup. Then, add the chicken and veggie mix right on top. Make sure to get some of the delicious sauce too.
If you think this is yummy today, you should taste the leftovers when the sauce has a chance to really marinate into the chicken and veggies. Delicious.
Enjoy!