Next Post
Thick + Creamy Chocolate Pistachio Chia Shake.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Let’s just take a second to remember this meal.
Remember its colors, its flavors and its general health appeal.
Because the boys have somehow taken over the kitchen and my mind. Oh man, it is bad. They have my brain thinking guy food. Over the top, amazing guy food that pretty much everyone wants, but only guys can get away with eating 24/7.
It’s bad, but it is so good.
Sometimes I can get so caught up in pleasing people and making the foods they love that I make only what they want and lose a little of my creativity in the process.
I am a people pleaser one hundred percent. Sometimes it is a great trait, but other times it is totally annoying. Like right now.
The boys are tired of my cooking.
Tired of the green, the reds, the oranges, the citrus, the quinoa, the fish and apparently just all things with color.
I have been fighting their requests so hard, but since the younger brothers got back from Europe yesterday I am feeling the urge to give in. The salads will not fly with them and their begging for “good food” is wearing on me.
No, it is kind of killing me. I feel so bad. I mean Creighton (my oldest brother) is only here till Friday and I have given him only a handful of meals that he has really loved. These tacos are his all time favorite, but I am hoping to crank out at least one more favorite before he leaves.
I have to say though, the boys totally missed out on this meal.
I mean, they let the black rice (so good) and the greens freak them out. Instead they ate chicken noodle casserole. A family recipe that people have been begging for me to share, but it pretty much goes against everything I preach. Then again, I also make it like every other week.
Like I said, it is a family favorite. People go nuts for it.
But this meal. It is just so flavorful.
And colorful. I love the colors (<–color freak!).
First of all, the chicken, it is a chipotle, cara cara orange and balsamic glaze that is lick the spoon good. It is kind of like a winter BBQ sauce that just knocked my socks off. The flavor is insane. I blame it all on the very simple ingredients that allow the orange, chipotle and balsamic to really stand out. The recipe makes a little more sauce than you will probably need, but I loved drizzling  it over a lunch salad the next day.
The black rice, or forbidden rice as it is also called, adds the heft. It gives the salad its heartiness and chew. Trust me, I was a little weary of straying from my beloved basmati rice, but it was a nice change up and the flavors of the black rice (really it is more of a deep purple) work really well with the orange. I have to say though, I did have a little bit of a hard time getting it to fully cook, but I do think that it was because of the high elevation I live at. If you run into this problem just add some more water to the pot and continue cooking until the rice is soft.
Oh, and the Cara Cara oranges? Wow, this bowl was my first experience with these and I am now addicted, SO good. Seriously, do not use regular oranges, buy the Cara Cara’s. It is worth every single extra penny.
Promise.
Black Rice Salad Bowls with Chipotle Orange Chicken, Cashews + Feta.
Servings: 4 BOWLS
Calories Per Serving: 1218 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo minced (use 1 for less heat) + 1 tablespoon adobo
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- a pinch of salt and pepper
Black Rice + Salad Bowls
- 1 cup black rice
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- 2 cara cara oranges peeled + sliced
- 2 avocados peeled, pitted + sliced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Simple Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- a pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a glass baking dish. In a medium sauce pot combine the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, tomato paste, minced chipotle chiles + 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce, cumin, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, reduced and become syrup like. Remove from the heat and allow to cool 5-10 minutes. Pour about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of the sauce over the chicken and give it a good toss (reserve the remaining sauce for serving). Place the chicken in the fridge for 20 minutes or up to overnight.
- To make the rice: Place the rice in a pot. Cover with chicken broth (or water) and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 30-40 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Meanwhile heat a little extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Grab the chicken and when the oil is hot, add the chicken and brown for 5-8 minutes, then turn and brush with a little more of the remaining sauce. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let sit five minutes, slice the chicken into strips.
- To make the dressing: In a small bowl or glass jar combine the olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Whisk well, taste and season to your liking.
- To assembles the bowls place some lettuce in each bowl, if desired toss the greens with a little dressing. Top each bowl with equal amounts of sliced oranges, grape tomatoes, sliced avocados, cilantro and green onions. Add the rice and chicken. Sprinkle with cashews and feta. Eat warm drizzled with more dressing and any remaining chipotle orange sauce if desired.
Just realizing this is more bowl food. Seriously addicted to the bowls… and the Cara Cara oranges.
OH my goodness. So I just made this, and HOLY AMAZING. You are talented in the kitchen my friend!
Wow, that’s just so colourful and I love the pictures with the oranges. Love anything with fruit and feta in it together and with the addition of the chicken seems like there’s some serious taste going on here!
Thanks so much, Helen!
I’m totally going to make this happen with shrimp. Looks fabulous!
Ohh!! Shrimp would be awesome! Thanks Brian!
I adore black rice. That musky, sweet quality it has is so appealing, and it is gorgeous in this salad. Just lovely.
I agree! I love the flavors of black rice! Thanks Shaina!
I love those cara cara oranges and everything in this bowl! Gorgeous as always!
Thank you so much, Miss!
How much balsamic vinegar for the chicken? It just says 3/4 with no measure. Thanks!
3/4 cup. Sorry about that, I will fix the recipe now!
Okay now we’re talking. This is my type of food. Looks out of this world refreshing. After Christmas, I’ve been craving such fresh flavors. This looks like it would well exceed my cravings. Yum!
Thanks! Hope you love this!
Absolutely all of my favorite things in one bowl! Tieghan, these salad bowls are beautiful. Almost too pretty to eat. Though I would dive headfirst into anything with homemade orange chicken.
Thank you, Sally! I love the orange chicken too. One of my favorites! 🙂
This is totally up my alley – love all the vibrant colors!
Thanks Jeanette!
This salad is gorgeous! Hoping to try it as soon as I find some black rice.
I agree, Cara Cara oranges are so good! I first found them at Trader Joe’s and they still have them at a great price.
Thanks Sheila!
I am definitely addicted to Cara Cara oranges. I look forward to them every winter! I make an awesome brussels sprout and goat cheese salad with them (recipe is on my blog). So good! These rice bowls look like the perfect spot for them too!
LOVE the cara cara oranges! Thanks Megan!
I need to check out that salad recipe!
A fantastic looking salad. I remember the back rice from a trip to Bali years ago. Your are an amazing cook.
Thank you so much!! 🙂
This looks sooo good!!
Thank Julie!
Tieghan! Please post your family’s classic chicken noodle recipe! My family is like yours, and they love classics. They would love something like that, (and I would love something like this!)
Haha! Maybe I will! Thanks!
the chicken alone looks amazing but all together it is beautiful! sounds fabulous and love the colorful pics =)
Thank you!!