Coconut Lime Chicken Bowls

I wanted something simple but flavorful and something to pretend I was not in rainy Washington State! I had a bunch of limes and coconut milk and decided to try marinating the chicken over night and then cooking the rice in the leftover marinade. It turned out better than I could have imagined! I also threw some beans on there and some mango-salsa to give it ~Jamaican~ vibes. This dish will definitely have you feeling you are on an island with the warm sun shining on you as you dive in to this! The coconut is subtle, but still comes through in the chicken and rice and the acid from the lime pairs perfectly to cut through the starch. I simmered the black beans in cumin to help enhance the flavor, because we’ve all had beans from a can and lets be real…they are just really not that tasty on their own! I topped this off with a mango – jalapeño salsa I picked up at Whole Foods that adds a sweet, spicy kick. Feel free to make your own, but I recommend a fruit salsa to bring this dish together.

4 Chicken Cutlets
3 Limes
1 1/2 Cans Coconut Milk
1 Cup Rice
1 Can Whole Black Beans
2 Tsp Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Mango Salsa
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 24 Hours
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Day 30 Minutes

To Make:

To get a delicious flavor you will want to marinade the chicken for 24-48 hours. Pat the chicken dry and generously season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a zip-loc bag and add in 1 can of coconut milk and the juice of 2 limes. Close the bag and try to remove as much air as possible. Massage the chicken, coconut milk, and lime juice together and place in the refrigerator to marinate!
When you are ready to make the dish, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place the chicken on a plate, reserving any of the coconut milk that is remaining.
First you will want to make the rice! You need a 1:2 ratio (1 cup rice to 2 cups liquid). Measure out the remaining coconut milk from the marinade and add to a medium saucepan (Mine only measure to 1 cup, so I needed to add 1 cup of coconut milk from a new can – so do the same thing here). Measure out more coconut milk so you have a total of 2 cups!
After you’ve added the coconut milk to a sauce pan, bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the rice and reduce to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.
Meanwhile, lets make the beans. Add the can of black beans to a small pot – keep the liquid.
Stir in the cumin, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir to combine and cover on low stirring occasionally until you are ready to serve!
While the rice and beans simmer – let’s make the chicken!
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook on each side for 3-5 minutes until the internal temperature comes to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Once everything is finished cooking, time for assembly.
Add 1/2 cup of rice to each bowl, 1/4 of the black beans and 1 chicken cutlet. Repeat until all 4 bowls are assembled. Top with the mango salsa, serve and enjoy!

STEP 1