Inspired by the chicken rice bowl at Heritage Asian Eatery in downtown Vancouver, comes my take on this healthy and nutritious dish. You can mix up this recipe by adding different toppings and protein options. No matter what, this is guaranteed to be a colourful dish and will get you to eat the rainbow in no time!
Servings: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes 
Ingredients:
For the Mushrooms:
- 1 cup dried wood-ear mushrooms
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the Rice
- 1 cup rice (I use brown rice)
- 2 cups water
For the Ginger-Scallion Sauce
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
For the Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 chicken breast, cubed
- 1/4 cup ginger-scallion sauce (above)
Toppings:
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 cup cucumber, cubed
- 1 cup kale, sliced
- 4 radishes, sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1 carrot, shaved into ribbons
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- Sprouts
- 2 eggs
Directions:
Begin by preparing the wood-ear mushrooms. Typically, these mushrooms will come in dried form. Add the mushrooms to a bowl and top it off with boiling water (I just use a kettle to boil water quickly for this). Make sure that the mushrooms are fully submerged in the water. Set aside and let the mushrooms re-hydrate while you prepare the rest of the components.
Next, cook the rice. Rice the rice under running water until the water runs clear. Add the rice to a pot along with the water and cover. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to low and let cook for 20 minutes, or until the water has absorbed into the rice. Once cooked, set the rice aside to cool slightly.
Next, make the sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, sriracha, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, scallion, and garlic. Mix to combine and set aside.
Next fry the chicken. Cut the chicken breast into bite size cubes. Add them to a hot frying pan with the olive oil and cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken has turned golden brown and has cooked through. Scoop out ¼ cup of the sauce and add it to the pan. Toss it around with the chicken to fully coat. Remove the pan from the heat and let the chicken cool slightly.
Next, chop the vegetables. Chop the cucumber and avocado into bite size pieces. Slice the radish thinly along with the kale and scallions. Drain the water away from the wood-ear mushrooms and rise them well. Chop the mushrooms into bite sized pieces and them to a small bowl along with a teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix them together and set aside. Use a vegetable peeler to peel long strands of carrot into “ribbons”. Add the ribbons to a bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar and the sugar. Set aside to marinade for a bit while you prepare the eggs.
To make the eggs, fill a small pot about ¾ full with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Place an egg on a large tablespoon and gently lower the egg into the boiling water making sure that the egg does not hit the bottom of the pot and crack. Repeat quickly for the remaining eggs. Set a timer for 6 minutes and continue to cook the eggs over medium-high heat. Once 6 minutes have elapsed, drain the hot water from the eggs and run the eggs under cold water until they are cool enough to touch. Gently crack the eggs and peel away the shell. Set the eggs aside to cool slightly.
Now you are ready to assemble your bowl! Add the rice to the base of the bowl and top with each of the toppings. Slice an egg in half and place it in the center of the bowl. Top the dish off with some sprouts and a drizzle of the scallion ginger sauce. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
