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I’m keeping this short and sweet today. It’s hot; you don’t really feel like being in the kitchen. If you have leftover chicken your troubles are over. If you don’t, go buy a rotisserie chicken, roasted by someone who is paid to do it. Because this Leftover Chicken Bowl Recipe is going to be your best friend.
Leftover Chicken Bowl Recipe, Version 1
The contents of the bowl are as follows: diced chicken, brown rice, olive oil, preserved lemons, sun dried tomatoes, grapes, arugula, and feta.
The preserved lemons are back. And they are here to stay because they are great for creating light, low calorie, and flavorful dressings. Combined with a little olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, and some feta and the dressing is complete.
Keeping the ratio of chicken, grapes, and brown rice equal is what keeps the Leftover Chicken Bowl Recipe light. And also very easy to deviate from: substitute any protein, rice, or fruit to go with what you have in your kitchen.
I have another Leftover Chicken Bowl Recipe coming (some day-I actually haven’t been able make and take pictures of it). I was making these chicken bowls a lot but one day I wasn’t paying attention to my ratios and also used chicken broth instead of water to make the brown rice. It came out so different that I’m devoting a blog post and pictures to it another day.
The Recipe
Leftover Chicken Bowl Recipe Version 1
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 sun dried tomatoes diced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 quarter preserved lemon diced (about 1 tablespoon)
- pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons feta separated
- 1/4 cup diced leftover chicken
- 1/4 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup sliced grapes
- 1 cup arugula
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, preserved lemons, pepper, and 1 tablespoon feta in a bowl and mix. If your sun dried tomatoes are congealed, heat them up in the microwave for 5 seconds.
- Add the chicken, rice, and grapes and mix until well coated.
- Add the arugula and mix until it looks slightly wilted and it is coated well with the dressing. Sprinkle in the remaining feta and serve.
In other news
Recovery is still hard. I’m more emotional now than in the beginning. This is mostly because I’ve been having skin problems near my stoma, which means I have to change my ostomy bag often. Every time it comes off, it’s like I’m ripping off a Band-Aid that is holding back the tide of my emotions. The skin is raw, fragile, broken, and ugly. I’m raw, fragile, broken, and ugly. I can’t help it. I get angry for allowing myself to get so down and haven’t been able to figure out how to not feel this way.
When my bag is on and working, I’m fine. I enjoy the full benefits of being ulcerative colitis free. I’m also completely off Prednisone now. When I come off the steroid a couple of things happen: I experience a drop in energy levels and I break out. Last time it was a weird face thing but this time it’s all over my body and it’s so itchy. I want to crawl out of my skin. The awful heat wave is not helping at all. Yuck.
Stay cool and hydrated out there! And maybe cool off with a couple of these drinks: Mango Aguas Frescas, Mango Margaritas with a Turmeric Chili Twist, Tomatillo Margaritas, or Orange Pomelo Turmeric Mojito. Cheers!
I just love having options for hot weather! No cook recipes are the best, especially when you can use leftovers. I’m sorry to hear that things have been tough lately, I’m still wishing you the best on your continued recovery!
Thanks Meghan for all your best wishes!
It’s Monsoon out here, pouring everyday, getting all cozy 🙂 Leftover chickens are always a great addition in salad and I am loving that you added grapes. One of my favourite thing to toss in salads.
I already miss the rain-I would love to get all cozy and listen to it pouring down! And I agree-I love the sweet bursts of flavor grapes add to salads.
I’m loving this leftover series! I despise throwing away food, and so we end up having strange combinations fairly often. These are fantastic ideas!!!
Thank you so much Sarah!
Love meals like this! Great way to use up left over chicken! Pinning 🙂
Thanks Mira!
These bowls look awesome Meg! You need to pay a visit to Melbourne – it is about 10 degrees and rainy, so no heat problems around here haha! I can always do with more lunch salad recipes, so will keep this tucked up my sleeve in the event of leftover chicken. Love how you added in the preserved lemon.
All the best for your ongoing recovery – I can’t imagine how challenging it must be. And maybe your skin is broken and ugly, but that doesn’t mean you are! You WILL get through this tough period, I know it. xx
Oh honestly that sounds so lovely to me right now! I was telling my family that I wished this whole recovery period was happening in the cooler months-heat makes me crabby. Thank you so much for all your kind words ❤️
OMG SUCH A GENIUS WAY TO USE UP CHICKEN (and also rice… we always have a TON of rice) !!! So glad I found your blog -it is gorgeous and made my day!
Can’t go wrong with chicken and rice-and thank you so much! You just made my day ?