Clean Eating Recipes: Mexican Chicken with Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

This is a variation of a recipe I received from a Mexican friend of mine who is one of the best cooks I know.  The chicken is very flavorful and can be made as mild of spicy as you would like. The rice is my own personal way of adding a little more flavor to regular brown rice.  This meal is also fairly simple and can be easily made within 30 minutes from start to finish.  Plus, it’s a healthy meal the entire family can enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of raw tender-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large onion, sliced and chopped
• 1, 15oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 small can of diced green chilis
• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of brown rice
• 1/4 teaspoon of lime juice
• handful of fresh cilantro

Directions:

1.  Begin to prepare the brown rice as directed on the package (will take about 20-25 minutes to cook).
2.  Pour a layer or olive oil at the bottom of a large sauce pan and preheat.
3.  Add the onion, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the can of tomato sauce, mild chiles, and a cup of water.  Bring the entire mixture to a boil.
5. Mix in the chicken, making sure it’s fully submerged in the sauce.  Bring to a boil again, then simmer for about 5 minutes with the lid on.
6. Finally mix in the cabbage and continue the simmer.  You will know it’s done because the chicken should be tender and the cabbage should be wilted and should be about the same texture as the onions.
7. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
8. Serve with the chicken on top of the rice and enjoy a nice warm comfort meal!

Tips and Variations:

• If you prefer a little more “kick” in your chicken, use a small can of diced jalapenos instead of the chilies.
• A couple of splashes of hot sauce will also do the trick.
• As a time saver, you can use the chicken breast of a rotisserie chicken.
• Some stores also sell fully cooked turkey breasts in the deli section as well.
• For more flavor in the rice, substitute half of the cooking water for chicken broth.
• Pile the rice and chicken into a whole wheat tortilla for an instant burrito.

*BTW, you can make a whole bunch of this chicken and it freezes REALLY well!

More Clean Eating Resources

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Happy Healthy Eating!