If you enjoy southern flavours with your chicken, you’ll enjoy this quick, easy, healthy 20-minute chicken rice bowl recipe. Made using everyday ingredients such as fresh vegetables, chicken, and rice, you’ll have a complete, tasty meal that the whole family will love. It’s also a great recipe for meal prep.

Are you having a BBQ this summer? Double the recipe and serve it to your guests, and you can be sure that they will be coming back for seconds.

What rice should I use when cooking a southern-style chicken rice bowl recipe?

For this chicken rice bowl recipe, we recommend that you use jasmine rice for its pearly white colour and slightly sticky texture, which gives this dish a nice comforting feel. While jasmine rice is usually a product we associate with Asian-inspired recipes, it compliments many international cuisines due to its subtle floral flavours.

However, if you don’t have jasmine rice in your pantry, you can substitute it for another rice you have at home. The best alternatives are

Brown rice

Brown rice is a long-grain rice with a wholesome, rich, earthy flavour and dense, chewy texture. Less sticky than jasmine rice, it’s an excellent rice to use when making rice bowls, and its slightly nutty aroma blends well with the spices in this dish.

Premium white rice

Royal long-grain rice is one of our most versatile rices, and it goes great with any rice bowl recipe. Dry and non-sticky, it will absorb all the rich, delicious flavours of the chicken spices and bring a nice texture to this recipe.

Dainty offers a wide variety of rices, discover each type’s unique aroma, texture and subtle flavour.

Can I make a vegetarian version of a chicken rice bowl recipe?

This recipe can easily be adapted as a vegetarian option by substituting chicken for tofu. Vegans might choose to remove the optional sour cream and shredded cheese or find vegan substitutes.

Tofu instead of chicken

While tofu might sometimes get a bad reputation as a bland and soggy food, it can be delicious when prepared properly. Made from soybeans, tofu has a very mild taste and won’t overpower the dish. This mild flavour is why it is such a popular substitute for vegetarian adapted chicken recipes. Choosing firm tofu will prevent it from crumbling in the skillet and will have a texture that resembles that of chicken.

If you choose a vegan adaptation and want to include the sour cream and the shredded cheese, you might want to head to your local health food store for alternatives. Using vegan dairy substitutes often means using tofu or a variety of nuts, such as cashews and macadamias.

Southern-style chicken rice bowl recipe

  • 15 - 30Min
  • Easy
  • 4-6
  • Vegan adaptable
  • Vegetarian

Rice and chicken bowl prepared with southern style

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Jasmine rice
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 2 large chicken breasts, sliced into small chunks
  • ½ cup green onions, diced
  • ½ red pepper, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes, diced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed
  • 1¾ cups canned corn, drained
  • 1 (4 oz) can green chiles, diced (mild or spicy)
  • 1½ limes, freshly squeezed

Toppings

  • Avocado, chopped
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • Sour cream
  • Tex-Mex cheese, grated
  • Extra lime wedges

Preparation

1

Cook rice according to package directions. Note: for drier cooked jasmine rice try ½ cups water to 1 cup rice in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low simmer and cover. Cook for approximately 12-15 minutes

2

In a skillet heat olive oil at medium-high heat and add chicken, green onions and red pepper and cook for 2 minutes.

3

Add salt, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Coat chicken and vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.

4

Add tomatoes, black beans, corn and green chiles, and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked through. Approximately 5 minutes.

5

Squeeze lime juice over chicken mixture and remove skillet from heat.

6

Assemble bowls by adding rice, chicken mixture, and toppings.

I have skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Will it affect the taste?

Using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts will work with this recipe. Chicken breasts are white meat and are popular due to their moist and tender texture. However, dark meat would be just as delicious in this dish.

What makes this southern-style chicken rice bowl recipe so appealing is its versatility. You can substitute chicken breast for chicken thighs, legs, or rotisserie chicken, and you can even use turkey if you have some. You might need to adjust the cooking time, but you’ll end up with the same great-tasting dish.

Can I make this recipe in a rice cooker?

This chicken rice bowl recipe is perfect for making using a Dainty rice cooker. You’ll end up with the perfect rice every time. You’ll just need to add 3 cups of water to 2 cups of jasmine rice, throw it in the pot, it will take about 15 minutes… While your rice cooker takes care of your rice, you can focus on ensuring the chicken and vegetables are cooked to perfection.

Cooking rice can be daunting when you’re unsure about your measurements, which is why a rice cooker can be such a lifesaver. To get that perfect rice texture, get some great rice cooking tips on our website.

How long does a southern-style chicken rice bowl keep in the fridge?

If you end up with leftovers, this recipe can keep well in the fridge for the next day’s lunch. Cooked rice and veggies, if stored properly, can keep in the fridge for approximately 4-6 days. Cooked chicken, on the other hand, will last 3-4 days.

You can either put leftovers in individual portions or store all the ingredients separately. The avocado is the only ingredient that won’t be kept beyond the end of the day.

If you want to try new and exciting rice recipes, check out our recipe page and get inspired now!