Last week, we posted a recipe for an easy, go-to breakfast. Today, we’re covering a recipe for a minimalistic lunch or dinner. Sense a theme coming about? Well, don’t worry kitchen-heads, we’ve got more complex stuff in the works, but look, sometimes people just wanna eat without hours of labor involved, and sometimes we fall into that category too. Instant noodles all day, nah mean?
This meal is another one straight from Kim’s cerebral cortex. As it turns out, she’s got quite a thing for spearheading the savory concepts while I engineer the sweet side of the blog. This works out, because we often have no idea what the other person is going for until the dish is finished. Power couples, amiright?
Anyways, the title of the recipe kind of explains itself, but let’s hit some quick bullet points for easy mental digestion! All in all, this recipe’s:
- Simple, fast, and easy on prep
- Refreshing, light, and comforting
- Balanced between sweet, salty, tangy, and umami
- Tender, meaty, and chewy
- Vegan and gluten-free
If you like what your eyes are tasting, then share this recipe with your friends on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest at @noeggsorham! For more flame-emoji photos, geeky food talk, and mouth-watering dishes, subscribe to our email list. Tag us in a photo when you create one of our recipes at home so we can share it!
“Black pepper chicken and chow mein, my favorite” – Aminé
Asian-Inspired Black Pepper Chicken Rice Bowl with Soy Sauce Tossed Veggies (vegan & gf)
Sticky, sweet, and subtly vinegary sushi rice forms the base of this refreshing midday bowl, complete with seared, black pepper-crusted Gardein chicken, earthy rounds of beet, and crisp cucumber slices.
Ingredients
Black Pepper Chicken
- 3 pieces of Chick’n Scallopini by Gardein
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (medium grind is best)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 large pinches of salt
Soy Sauce Tossed Veggies
- 1 medium beet, peeled & thinly sliced (~1/8 inch thick)*
- 1/2 medium cumber, thinly sliced (~1/8 inch thick)*
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
Bowl
- 1 c short grain sushi rice
- 1 ¼ c water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- thinly sliced tomatoes (optional)
- scallions (optional)
- toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Sushi Rice: Place rice in a large bowl, cover with cold water, swish it around with your hands, pour out the water, and repeat until the water comes out clean; about 5 times.
- Transfer drained rice to a medium pot, add in 1 ¼ cup of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once a boil’s achieved, reduce heat as low as possible, place on a lid, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes without touching.
- Whisk together sugar, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl, pour into rice, and slash/fold until incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.
- Chicken: Chop chicken into large, bite-sized pieces. Combine black pepper, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Toss chicken with spices until evenly coated.
- Heat a medium-large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in sesame oil and seasoned chicken. Cook, tossing occasionally, until evenly seared; about 6 minutes.
- Veggies: Heat a medium-large sauté pan over high heat. One hot, add in sesame oil and sliced beet. Cook for 3 minutes, toss in cucumber, and continue cooking until the beet’s softened and dark in color; 2-3 more minutes.
- Add in soy sauce and toss constantly until evaporated; about 1 minute.
- Serve black pepper chicken and soy sauce-tossed veggies alongside sushi rice and top with tomatoes, scallions, and sesame seeds if desired! Enjoy while fresh.
*We used a sharp mandolin to get thin, even cuts for the beet and cucumber. However, you can also use a sharp chef’s knife to get similar results.
NO EGGS OR HAM 
Nice !
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Sorry Friends – your recipes look good but you cannot call anything with CHICKEN in it “Vegan” or “Vegetarian”.
Vegans do not eat any form of meat, most certainly not Chicken!
If your recipes call for any kind of animal meat or animal derived ingredients you must Stop Calling Them Vegan! They are not!
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Hey! It’s probably confusing using the word “chicken,” but the recipe is indeed vegan. It’s just fake chicken from Gardein (which you could find in any major markets in the frozen section) – hence, if you looked at the ingredients list, it’s linked in there.
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