chicken & veggie bowls

Last updated: September 2023

Delicious flavors and scrumptious leftovers make for one of our most favorite family recipes.

This recipe was passed down to me by my mom and it’s one that’s always in our rotation of family dinners. It’s a great recipe to use some leftover veggies in the fridge and toss with some easy pan-fried chicken thighs for a meal that can feed the whole family AND create leftovers for the next day! I like to add some extra flavor through soy sauce and sesame oil to this recipe which makes it extra delicious. Can’t wait for you to try this one!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chopped bell peppers & onions (a frozen bag will make your life easier here!)

• 1 zucchini, diced

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced

• 2 minced garlic cloves

• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce

• 1/4 tsp sesame oil

• Olive oil

• Diced green onion (about 1/2 cup)

• 1 cup jasmine rice

• Garnish (optional): sprinkle of sesame seeds & chopped walnuts or cashews

MAKING THE CHICKEN

• Cook chicken thighs in pan on medium heat with a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

• When almost cooked (165F is the internal cooked temp of chicken thighs), add in 2 cloves of minced garlic & stir for a few minutes, then add chopped onions & bell peppers (I add mine when they're still frozen and they cook in 2-3 min). Option here to drain the chicken juices.

• Add in 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce & dash of sesame oil and mix.

• Place diced zucchinis and green onions in pan, then cover pan with lid and keep on low heat for about 15 minutes to let everything simmer. The zucchinis will cook with the heat during this time.

• Serve over rice or noodles (rice instructions are below) and sprinkle with sesame seeds to garnish!

MAKING THE RICE

• Rinse one cup of jasmine rice

• Melt 1/2 TBSP butter in small pot over medium heat

• Add jasmine rice and mix with butter, toasting for about 30 seconds

• Add 1 cup of water, then 1/2 cup chicken broth and mix well

• Cover pot and increase heat so water is boiling

• Once you see the water boiling, reduce heat to lowest setting and set timer for 14 minutes

• After 14 min, turn off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste

NOTES

• The internal temperature of cooked chicken thighs is 165F. I like to measure with a meat thermometer before serving to ensure it's fully cooked.

• When cooking the chicken in this recipe, try to use a pan with walls so everything doesn't spill over.

• Store in fridge for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months in air-tight container or bag.

• When serving to my little one, I omit the walnuts in the recipe as they could pose as choking hazards.

• The amount of soy sauce and sesame oil can vary quite a bit this recipe depending on what you like - start with a smaller amount, and you can always add more.

• This recipe is perfect for frozen veggies. I typically use frozen onions and bell peppers here but you can get other frozen veggies to toss in as well!

• Other veggies I like to include are diced asparagus and mushrooms (typically fresh). I include them at the same stage as the zucchinis.

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Yield: 4-5

Author: My Toddler's Kitchen

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Chicken & Veggie Bowls

A family recipe jam-packed with delicious Asian flavors. Serve over your favorite grain (rice, noodles, etc.) and customize the veggies to your liking. My toddler gobbles this one up!

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

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Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped bell peppers & onions (a frozen bag will make your life easier here!)
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• Olive oil
• Diced green onion (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• Garnish (optional): sprinkle of sesame seeds & chopped walnuts or cashews

Instructions

Making the Chicken

1. Cook chicken thighs in pan on medium heat with a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. When almost cooked (165F is the internal cooked temp of chicken thighs), add in 2 cloves of minced garlic & stir for a few minutes, then add chopped onions & bell peppers (I add mine when they're still frozen and they cook in 2-3 min). Option here to drain the chicken juices.
3. Add in 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce & dash of sesame oil and mix.
4. Place diced zucchinis and green onions in pan, then cover pan with lid and keep on low heat for about 15 minutes to let everything simmer. The zucchinis will cook with the heat during this time.
5. Serve over rice or noodles (rice instructions are below) and sprinkle with sesame seeds to garnish!

Making the Rice

1. Rinse one cup of jasmine rice
2. Melt 1/2 TBSP butter in small pot over medium heat
3. Add jasmine rice and mix with butter, toasting for about 30 seconds
4. Add 1 cup of water, then 1/2 cup chicken broth and mix well
5. Cover pot and increase heat so water is boiling
6. Once you see the water boiling, reduce heat to lowest setting and set timer for 14 minutes
7. After 14 min, turn off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste

Notes

• The internal temperature of cooked chicken thighs is 165F. I like to measure with a meat thermometer before serving to ensure it's fully cooked.
• When cooking the chicken in this recipe, try to use a pan with walls so everything doesn't spill over.
• Store in fridge for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months in air-tight container or bag.
• When serving to my little one, I omit the walnuts in the recipe as they could pose as choking hazards.
• The amount of soy sauce and sesame oil can vary quite a bit this recipe depending on what you like - start with a smaller amount, and you can always add more.
• This recipe is perfect for frozen veggies. I typically use frozen onions and bell peppers here but you can get other frozen veggies to toss in as well!
• Other veggies I like to include are diced asparagus and mushrooms (typically fresh). I include them at the same stage as the zucchinis.

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