Mexican Grilled Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice

Drip, drop 

Splish, splash

Ready yet? Urgh.

Plink, plink

Pitter, patter

Still not done.

Plip, plop

Sprinkle, sprinkle

Done! 

Those were the sounds of my Memorial Day barbecue. How about yours? Did you have to grill in the rain? I was grateful that it was at least rain - when I woke up in the morning I looked out and saw a light dusting of snow on the cars and rooftops. I immediately went back to bed. You need extra sleep to deal with a day that starts with snow at the end of May. 

Luckily for me, the rest of the day was great. I had planned on making these grilled chicken bowls and I wasn't about to let a little rain stop me. Fortunately, it really was just a little rain by dinner time, so I didn't have to suffer too much for my stubbornness. I love these bowls. So much that we've had them twice in the past couple weeks, and that's not including the leftovers. They're simple to make and quick to cook. Chicken on the grill is delicious in general, and the quick marinade in this recipe gives it a lot of flavor and a great color. The cilantro-lime rice is great on its own, and perfect with the grilled chicken. Throw on some queso fresco, tomatoes, beans and tomatoes and you've got a killer dinner that you'd be willing to make, even if it means standing outside in rainy, 55 degree weather. 

It helps to be a little stubborn in that case. 

Mexican Grilled Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice

Marinade
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T fresh lime juice
2 T ancho chile powder (the is the primary ingredient in most chili powders and has very little heat. You could probably leave it out if you can't find any, but it gives it great color.)
1 T minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 oz each

Rice
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 T lime juice

2 medium Hass avocados, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup green onions, sliced thin
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 cup queso fresco
2 limes, cut into wedges
6 handfuls tortilla chips

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, and refrigerate while you prepare the rice.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the rice, broth and salt to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Move off the burner and keep covered for 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Keep a lid on the rice until ready to use.

3. While the rice is cooking, prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350 to 450 degrees.)

4. Brush the cooking grates clean. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the meat is firm to the touch and opaque all the way to the center, 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice. (If you are using chicken breasts larger than 6 oz, and most that I've bought recently are, increase this time or slice each breast in half before putting in the marinade.) Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut into 1/2 inch chunks.

5. Divide the rice evenly among individual bowls. Top the rice with small mounds of chicken, avocado, tomato, green onion and beans. Sprinkle the queso fresco on top. Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe Source: Weber's On The Grill: Chicken and Sides

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