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These Indian Rice Bowls are flavorful, delicious, and easy to assemble. These wholesome, filling rice bowls have it all — grains, protein, and veggies. | aheadofthyme.com

Indian Rice Bowls


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  • Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These Indian Rice Bowls are flavorful, delicious, and easy to assemble. These wholesome, filling rice bowls have it all — grains, protein, and veggies. 


Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighscut into 1-inch thick cubes (2-3 chicken breasts)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • cooking oil spray

For the rice:

  • 2 cups Basmati rice, uncooked
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the salad:

  • 3 cups spring mix salad greens
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1-2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
  • 2 tablespoon feta cheesecrumbled
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the yogurt sauce (optional):

  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlicminced
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh dillfinely chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

Instructions

Make the tandoori chicken:

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch thick pieces and set aside in a large mixing bowl or Ziploc bag.
  2. Add paprika, curry powder, cumin, garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken pieces to coat it evenly.
  3. Stir in yogurt, tomato paste, and oil. Toss well until evenly coated.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for the best results).
  5. You can cook the chicken in the air fryer or in the oven.
    • To air fry: Transfer the cubed chicken to the air fryer basket in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with some cooking oil spray. Air fry at 350F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked through. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
    • To bake in the oven: You can also bake the chicken tandoori bites in a preheated oven at 450F for 16- 18 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Make the rice:

  1. Rinse rice in several changes of cold water until water is clear, then drain well in a large fine-mesh sieve.
  2. Cook rice over the stove, in a rice cooker, or in a pressure cooker.
    • On the stove: In a medium cooking pot, add rice, water and salt. Bring it to boil over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Close the lid and reduce heat to low. Let the rice simmer for 15 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let the cooked rice rest for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve warm.
    • In the rice cookerAdd rice and cold water in 1:1.5 ratio in the rice cooker (for 2 cups of rice, you need 3 cups of water). Turn on the power and start cooking in the rice cooker. It typically takes about 15-20 minutes. The rice cooker will automatically switch to 'keep warm' setting. Let the cooked rice rest for another 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.
    • In the instant pot: Add rice and cold water in 1:1 ratio in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (for 2 cups of rice, you need 2 cups of water). Switch the instant pot to pressure cooking mode on manual High and seal the lid (the steam release knob must be turned to the sealed position). Cook for 3 minutes. Once the time is up, let the instant pot slowly release the pressure for 10 minutes and then quickly release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position. Fluff with a fork and serve warm.

Make the salad:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine spring mix salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Make the yogurt sauce:

  1. Make the yogurt sauce by whisking together yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.

Assemble:

  1. Divide the rice, salad, and chicken into 4 shallow bowls or pasta bowls.
  2. Add a drizzle of the yogurt sauce on top and serve.

Notes

How to store: Store components of the chicken bowl separately in airtight containers in the fridge — the chicken, rice, salad, and yogurt sauce. Leftover tandoori chicken bites will keep for up to 3-4 days, rice for up to 4-5 days, salad for up to 4 days, and the yogurt sauce for up to 1 week.

How to reheat: Reheat the tandoori chicken nuggets in the air fryer at 350F for 5-10 minutes until warm, or in a 350F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. You can also reheat it over the stove on medium-low heat until warm.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Marinate Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Indian