Citrus marinated chicken. Anti-oxidant rich black rice. Crunchy veggies. WINNING! This is a super simple summer supper we will be enjoying again & again.
Start with the dressing. Into a medium bowl add:
Zest and juice of 2 tangerines
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil (if you have lemon or blood orange olive oil, use it!)
1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Stir the ingredients to incorporate and add 3 Tbsp to:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a zip top bag or glass bowl to marinate 2-4 hours. (And YES! You can use boneless, skinless breasts – just make sure not to overcook as this cut will tend towards drying out – we just prefer the thighs, especially if you are planning for leftovers.)
So, now you have some time ~ about 2-4 hours. You can prepare the salad to chill in the fridge.
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup cucumber, cut into matchsticks
2 cups dark greens, chopped fine
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 handful fresh mint, chopped fine
About half an hour before the meal, preheat your grill and make the rice. You can use *any* rice, but for extra nutrients the black rice (funny, because it looks dark purple) is rich in super plant compounds (trust me!) Send your honey out to grill the chicken and get busy!
I love rice. I love making rice. I love eating rice. Here’s how I do it:
Heat a medium saucepan and add 1-2 Tbsp. of fat. (grass-fed butter, coconut oil, olive oil, you get the idea…)
Stir in 1 cup of black rice and let the fat coat each grain. Stir and coat. Let it go until you begin to see a little browning and smell a “toastiness” – yes, I made that word up – but, I don’t know a better one. Just let the heat and fat bring a little love to the rice. Don’t let it burn. If it does, start over. It will taste like scorched popcorn and that’s just tragic. Have your cooking liquid ready!! I used 2 cups of chicken broth but you may need to follow the directions on your particular rice. Once you get the love on your rice, pour in the liquid (water, water and veggie broth, chicken broth/stock) and bring to boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to simmer. Mine was perfect in 18 minutes.
Remove the salad from the fridge and add in the cooked rice. Add the reserved dressing. Taste it for seasonings. Perfect!! Slice the chicken thighs and serve alongside your citrus creation. Next time, I will top with sliced avocado and another drizzle of blood orange olive oil.