Flavor Explosion!

I was pretty thrilled the other day to find this somewhat hidden section of healthy recipes on the food network website the other day! In this little treasure trove was this a recipe for a Chicken Scallion Rice Bowl. I think the title is horrible really. It is so much more than Chicken, Scallions and Rice in a bowl. It is a flavor explosion!

The flavor of the broth comes from Fresh Ginger, Mushrooms, Scallions and Basil and it is delicious. I would say this soup tastes most like Pho and you could easily substitute the brown rice for thin rice noodles. It is fresh and light, but still plenty filling and like

the Vietnamese say, "It will stick to your ribs"!

Chicken Scallion Rice Bowl

Ingredients:

6 Cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth

2 Cups Water

2 Tablespoons Mirin

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

1 Bunch Scallions, about 6

4 ounces Shitake Mushrooms, caps sliced, stems removed and reserved

1 two-inch piece fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced

6 Garlic Cloves, sliced

1 small bunch Basil, plus some leaves for serving

1 large Chicken Breast, 12 ounces

1 Red Jalapeno, thinly sliced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat)

1 Cup Shelled Edamame

1 Cup Julienned Jicama

Kosher Salt

2 Cups Hot Cooked Brown Rice

Lime Wedges

Directions:

Combine the broth, water, mirin, and the fish sauce in a large saucepan. Cut all but one scallion into 1-inch pieces and add to the broth with the mushroom stems, ginger, garlic and bunch of basil. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and continue to simmer until reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Remove all the solids from the broth using a

strainer or slotted spoon and discard.

Add the chicken, sliced mushroom caps, and jalapeno to the broth; adjust the heat to keep the broth at a gentle simmer and cook 12-14 minutes (mine took about 16 minutes) or until the chicken is just cooked through.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice into 1-inch pieces.

Remove the broth from the heat; Stir in edamame, jicama, and sliced chicken. Season with salt. Scoop 1/2 cup of the cooked rice into each bowl and ladle some of the soup over it. Slice the reserved scallion on an angle and sprinkle over each bowl along with basil leaves. Serve with lime wedges, if desired. I also served this with some sriracha.

Beautiful Broth

Ta da! This was a very relaxing meal to make. I was able to sit on the couch and watch my DVR while the broth simmered and made for a very nice evening!