Sweet Potato with Dirty Rice and Chicken
When I am completely focused on my macros and meal prepping this Dirty Rice with Sweet Potatoes and Chicken is one of my go tos. Extremely easy to make and even easier to adjust for an individuals macro goals! As a bonus….it tastes just as good reheated as it does freshly prepared.
The perfect recipe when your trying to stick to your health and fitness goals!
If you are looking for a healthy recipe, looking to lose a few pounds, looking to tone up this is the perfect recipe. You can adjust this meal to fit whatever goals you have set for yourself. Check out my tips below on how to adjust the protein, carbs, and fat to reach your goals!
Equipment list of what you will need to make this Sweet Potato and Dirty Rice with Chicken Recipe
Equipment:
- 1 Small Sauce Pot w/Lid
- 1 Large Deep Saute Pan w/Lid
Ingredients:
- 2′ cups’ Water
- 1′ tsp’ Reduced Sodium Chicken Base
- ½’ cup’ Brown Jasmine Rice
- ½’ cup’ Quinoa Trio Blend
- 1′ tbsp’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 20′ oz’ Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast,’ (2′ large breasts)
- ½’ tsp’ Black Pepper
- ¼’ tsp’ Garlic Powder
- 2½’ cups’ Sweet Potato,’ cubed, (1′ sweet potato)
- ¼’ cup’ Water
- 2½’ cups’ White Mushrooms,’ sliced thinly
- ¼’ tsp’ Chili Powder
- 5′ cups’ Arugula
Instructions:
- In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water and chicken base to boil. Once the water is boiling add the quinoa and rice to the water. Then immediately turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes covered, after 20 minutes remove for the heat. Stir the rice and quinoa, then cover with the lid. Leave covered until its time to mix in with the rest of the ingredients.’
- While the rice and quinoa are cooking, begin working on the chicken. Heat a large 2-3 inch sauté deep pan to medium heat. While waiting for the pan to heat up season the chicken with pepper and garlic powder. Once the pan is hot, add the extra virgin olive oil to the pan.
- Place the chicken immediately in the pan, leave it there for 2 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Both sides should start to become golden brown, but the center will still look uncooked…if not golden, give each side another minute…your pan wasn’t hot enough. Turn the heat to low and cover the chicken with a lid. Let it cook for about’ 10′ minutes, then flip and cover again for another’ 10′ minutes.
- After’ 10′ minutes on each side covered, the chicken should be done. But this does depend on the size of the chicken breast…these times are based on’ 10′ oz breasts. It is always best to check the internal temperature of chicken before serving. Typically 1 minute per oz per side while covered works to cook perfectly.
- Once the chicken is done remove from the pan, leaving the juices in the pan. Set the cooked chicken breast on a cutting board to allow them to cool slightly.’
- While the chicken is cooling add the cubed sweet potatoes and chili powder to the pan with the chicken juices. Turn the heat up to medium low heat and cook the sweet potatoes covered with a lid for 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.’
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking slice your chicken breast into bite sized pieces.’
- After 8 minutes add the’ ¼’ cup water to the pan, along with the sliced mushrooms. Cook on medium heat for another 4 minutes stirring frequently, until all the water/juices have been absorbed.’
- Next add the arugula, stir until well combined and arugula is wilted. This will only take 1 minute.’
- Finally add the cooked quinoa, rice, and sliced chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to low and stir everything together until evenly distributed.’
- Serve or portion out for meal prep!
Tip:
To make the Perfect Juicy chicken, my rule of thumb is to cook the chicken breast on each side for 2 minutes at medium heat. Then turn the temp to low, cover with a lid and cook 1 minute, per ounce on each side covered. This works every time to produce fully cooked, juicy chicken breasts!
Notes for Meal Planning:
This Dirty Rice with Sweet Potatoes and Chicken tastes outstanding reheated, so it makes for a perfect meal prep recipe. If you are counting calories or macros this is also a great recipe to ensure you hit your individual goals. See my notes below on how you can adjust the Protein, Carbs, and Fat.
Notes for Meal Prep and Storage:
- Room Temperature Storage: Is not recommended, once this recipe has cooled to room temp, it should be stored in the fridge.
- Refrigerator Storage: In the fridge this sweet potato and dirty rice recipe will last for 5-7 days. Best reheated in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel, or on the stove and add 2 tablespoons of water. Check out this guide for additional Reheating Information
- Freezer Storage: While this recipe can be frozen, I do not recommend it, as it doesn’t have enough sauce to freeze and then reheat and not dry out.
NOTES FOR COUNTING MACROS:
PROTEIN:
You can easily adjust the protein macro by adjusting the portion of chicken breast used.
- For every 1 ounce of chicken you can increase or decrease your protein intake by 8.8 grams.
CARBOHYDRATE:
The carbohydrate can also be adjusted based on the amount of rice used.
- For every 25 grams 1/8 of a cup of rice you can increase or decrease your carbs by 19 grams.
FAT:
There is not a lot of fat in this recipe, but you can adjust the fat levels by switching from chicken breast to chicken thighs.
- Every 1 ounce of chicken thighs increases or your fat macro by 1 gram. However, it is important to keep in mind, by switching to this different cut of chicken you will also be decreasing your protein by 1.8 grams for every 1 ounce of chicken thigh vs chicken breast.
You could also add my favorite ingredient for increasing fat to this recipe…AVOCADO! Avocado is a great addition to this recipe if you are looking to increase the fat.
- For every 35 grams (about 1/4) avocado you can increase the fat by 5.2 grams.
Tip:
If you do chose to make the change from breast to thigh, you will cook the chicken thighs following the same chicken breast directions.
When making adjustments to the macros you will want to keep in mind the number of servings you are making.
Sweet Potato and Dirty Rice Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Small Sauce Pot w/Lid
- 1 Large Deep Sauté Pan w/Lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups Water
- 1 tsp Reduced Sodium Chicken Base
- ½ cup Brown Jasmine Rice
- ½ cup Quinoa Trio Blend
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 20 oz Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast (2 large breasts)
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- 2½ cups Sweet Potato cubed, (1 sweet potato)
- ¼ cup Water
- 2½ cups White Mushrooms sliced thinly
- ¼ tsp Chili Powder
- 5 cups Arugula
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water and chicken base to boil. Once the water is boiling add the quinoa and rice to the water. Then immediately turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes covered, after 20 minutes remove for the heat. Stir the rice and quinoa, then cover with the lid. Leave covered until its time to mix in with the rest of the ingredients.
- While the rice and quinoa are cooking, begin working on the chicken. Heat a large 2-3 inch deep pan to medium heat. While waiting for the pan to heat up season the chicken with pepper and garlic powder. Once the pan is hot, add the extra virgin olive oil to the pan.
- Place the chicken immediately in the pan, leave it there for 2 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Both sides should start to become golden brown, but the center will still look uncooked…if not golden, give each side another minute…your pan wasn’t hot enough. Turn the heat to low and cover the chicken with a lid. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, then flip and cover again for another 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes on each side covered, the chicken should be done. But this does depend on the size of the chicken breast…these times are based on 10 oz breasts. It is always best to check the internal temperature of chicken before serving. Typically 1 minute per oz per side while covered works to cook perfectly.
- Once the chicken is done remove from the pan, leaving the juices in the pan. Set the cooked chicken breast on a cutting board to allow them to cool slightly.
- While the chicken is cooling add the cubed sweet potatoes and chili powder to the pan with the chicken juices. Turn the heat up to medium low heat and cook the sweet potatoes covered with a lid for 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking slice your chicken breast into bite sized pieces.
- After 8 minutes add the ¼ cup water to the pan, along with the sliced mushrooms. Cook on medium heat for another 4 minutes stirring frequently, until all the water/juices have been absorbed.
- Next add the arugula, stir until well combined and arugula is wilted. This will only take 1 minute.
- Finally add the cooked quinoa, rice, and sliced chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to low and stir everything together until evenly distributed.
- Serve or portion out for meal prep!
Macro Nutrition
Meal prep is creating whole meals ahead of schedule. Having your meals prepared and ready to eat, reducing portion size, helping you stick to your goals, preventing you from missing meals, and allowing you to reach your nutritional goals.
Yes, meal prepping works to ensure that you don’t waste food, that you eat the proper amount of food each day, and saves you money in the long run not needed to order food when you don’t have time to cook.
You don’t have to meal prep every single meal you plan to eat. You can start with meal prepping one of your meals for the week. I find starting with your snack is the best way to begin meal prepping.
Love creating Meal Prep Recipes? Check out a few of my favorites:
- Shrimp and Noodle Stir Fry
- Coconut Tomato & Chicken with Rice
- Zucchini and Ground Beef Casserole
- Classic Beef Stroganoff
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Pesto Shrimp with Jasmine Rice
- Chicken Sausage One Pot Meal
- Chicken Meatballs
