Slow cooker hoisin chicken, bok choy and sesame brown rice bowl recipe
On a wire rack in the corner of my kitchen, you'll find dozens of stacked blue-and-white Chinese bowls in almost every size and shape and pattern you've ever seen. (No, I'm not running a store. Yes, I have a little bowl problem.) However, the bowl in these photos is one-of-a-kind in my collection -- it was made for export, and obviously hand-painted, though it isn't precious -- and it happens to be the absolutely perfect size for a rice bowl dinner for one. This slow cooker hoisin chicken, so easy to make with just three ingredients, is a component I like to make ahead and freeze in small portions. Then, when I'm craving a rice bowl, I fire up the rice cooker, and at the end of the cooking time, I toss the chicken and bok choy on top of the rice, close up the cooker, and let them steam together for 15 minutes. It's Chinese take-out at home, and it couldn't be easier.
Slow cooker hoisin chicken, bok choy and sesame brown rice bowl
From the pantry, you'll need: rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown rice, sesame seeds.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
Cooking spray
10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
For the rice bowl:
1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
4 cups chopped bok choy
1 tsp white or black sesame seeds, or a mix
Directions
Coat the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
Trim the chicken, and add it to the slow cooker with the hoisin and rice vinegar. Stir to coat the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
When the chicken is cooked, pour the contents of the slow cooker into a bowl, and use two forks to shred the chicken. (At this point, you can cool the meat and freeze it.)
Meanwhile, during the time the chicken is cooking, cook the rice according to package directions, on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. Brown rice takes a long time, so make sure you start the rice at least 1 hour before the chicken will be done.
Divide the cooked rice into 4 individual bowls.
Cut the bok choy into large chunks, and place in a microwave safe bowl with 1 teaspoon of water. Cover with plastic wrap, and cook for 90 seconds. Divide the steamed bok choy among the rice bowls.
Top each rice bowl with a portion of hoisin chicken, and sprinkle on some sesame seeds. An extra squirt of hoisin sauce is nice, too.
Serve hot.
More chicken and rice favorites:
Chicken or turkey fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Chicken and shrimp jambalaya, from The Perfect Pantry
Nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice), from The Perfect Pantry
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Too bland for me.
Susan, feel free to add some chili oil or Sriracha if you like it spicy. Rice bowls are a wonderful base for almost any flavors.
It's my favorite..thanks.
Not only a beautiful rice bowl, but you just taught me how to quickly cook bok choy in the microwave. Duh ... wish I'd thought of that sooner!
Lately I am just loving this type of one-dish meal and this one sounds like it couldn't be easier. Love the idea of cooking the bok choy on top of the rice; brilliant!
Thanks for this - I'm getting lots of Asian foods from the community garden harvest - looking forward to this recipe, thanks
lcahbanjarmasin, my favorite too.
TW, even more fun is to steam it on top of the rice in a rice cooker!
Kalyn, sometimes cooking really is fun, isn't it?
Satonahat, love your garden!
never thought of reheating ingredients on top of the rice in final minutes... genius!
Great recipe and I love your bowl. Have to try this. Thanks.
Carol, isn't that a fun little trick?
Gloria, thanks so much. I found the bowl at a flea market.
Slow cooker and microwave. I sound like my mom now but I love it! And I adore the flavors of this wonderful, healthful meal. Perfect! Lydia, you make the best food... or at least everything I want to eat! Can I make this without a slow cooker? Stovetop or oven?
Jamie, you can make everything stovetop, just with a bit of tending. A rice cooker really makes it easy, but a nice heavy pot for the rice will be great. For the chicken, I'd still go stovetop rather than oven; you might have to add liquid, water or broth, as more will evaporate on the stove than in the slow cooker.
Lydia,
I love rice bowls, though my ultimate indulgence is unagi donburi when I pick up a package of broiled eel at the Asian market. Funnily enough, I do not eat it out of my Japanese bowls, but out of some Croatian kids cereal bowls with a decorative trim around the top (snake is serpente).
This looks delicious--thanks!
Kirsten, there's something wonderful about finding a rice bowl that fits perfectly in your hand, and holds just the right amount of rice. Doesn't matter where the bowl comes from.
wonderful!
I just love collecting asian slow cooker meals for the winter.
Will feature this one in my friday link roundup for next week.
I featured the slow cooker roundup that you are featured in this week.
Happy Weekend to you!