Generously seasoned chicken stars in these summery rice bowls with lots of additional toppings that don’t require any cooking. Brimming with savory flavor from garlic powder and oregano, tartness from sumac and vinegar, and a little sweetness from a spoonful of honey, the skillet-cooked meat would also be great in a pita sandwich or served on top of rice alongside your favorite vegetables.
To save time, prep the vegetable toppings while the chicken cooks.
Storage: Refrigerate the chicken and rice separately from the toppings for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
Servings: 4 (makes about 12 cups)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons honey, divided
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
- 1 pint (10 ounces) Sungold tomatoes, halved (see Substitutions)
- 4 cups hot, cooked white or brown rice, or another grain of your choice
- 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) pitted kalamata olives
- 1 large (1 pound) English cucumber, diced (2 cups)
Directions
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Step 1
In a large (12-inch skillet) over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and sprinkle with the garlic powder, oregano, sumac, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned all over and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the honey and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, stir well to combine, and let the mixture cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and the chicken is nicely glazed, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
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Step 2
While the chicken cooks, in a medium bowl, toss the halved tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Step 3
Divide the rice among four bowls, then divide the chicken, tomatoes, feta, olives and cucumber among them. Serve immediately.
Substitutions
Sungold tomatoes >> any type of cherry or grape tomato.
Red wine vinegar >> sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
Ground sumac >> finely grated lemon zest.
If you can’t have chicken >> use bite-size pieces of pork loin, lamb, firm fish or shrimp.
To make it vegetarian >> use firm tofu instead of chicken.
To make it vegan >> use firm tofu instead of chicken and skip the feta (or use nondairy feta).
To make it spicy >> add a large spoonful of chili paste to the chicken.
For more fiber >> add other vegetables to the bowls, such as blanched green beans or broccoli, roasted cauliflower, massaged kale or roasted squash.
