Thursday: Adobo Chicken with Carrot Rice

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Personal Note: You like Chinese flavors? Oh good, I knew you did. If you’re not familiar working with soy sauce, beware the over-pour. Better start off with my measurements and add more to fit your taste, but too much sodium doesn’t do a body good (mmm mmm bloaty).

Plan of Attack:

1. Prep Chicken

2. Get Chicken simmering

3. Cook Rice

4. Prepare Carrot mixture for Carrot Rice.

Ingredients for 2:

Adobo Chicken:

1 tbsp olive oil

½ pound of boneless chicken, cut into forkable pieces

½ yellow onion, quartered and sliced (leave in largish chunks)

1 tbsp minced garlic

¼ C. white vinegar

¼ C. Soy Sauce (low-sodium)

½ tbsp garlic powder

½ tbsp black pepper

1 Bay leaf

Carrot Rice:

1 C. Rice (Remember SmithCale’s preference? So I used Jasmine. Also I’m making 4 servings, ½ will be placed back for Friday’s meal)

2 C. Water

Handful roasted peanuts

½ tbsp unsalted butter

¼ yellow onion, sliced

½ tsp minced fresh ginger

2 regular sized small carrots, grated (no babies or giants allowed)

Salt to taste

Handful chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1. Prepare Chicken: Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until brown, about 3 minutes, then REMOVE FROM PAN. Stir in onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes.
2. In same pan, pour in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and bay leaf. Add back chicken, increase heat to high just until it boils. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 30-35 minutes.
3. Cook Rice: Bring water to boil, add rice and splash of olive oil. Bring back to boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. While rice cooks, grind peanuts in blender, set aside.
5. After rice has cooked for about 10 minutes, heat skillet over medium heat, add butter until it melts. Stir in onion and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in ginger, carrots and salt to taste (go easy because remember the adobo chicken has a lot of sodium). Reduce heat to low, cover and steam 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts. Combine ½ of cooked rice and gently combine all ingredients. Top with cilantro.
6. Make a comfy bed of Carrot Rice, place adobo chicken on top. Enjoy!