Mexican Cauliflower Rice Bowl with Chicken
This bowl skips the rice and doesn't miss it. Cauliflower rice picks up cumin, paprika, and diced chili while it cooks down with fresh tomato. The chicken sears in its own pan, both come together at the end. 342 calories and 24 grams of protein with a fat-forward macro split that keeps carbs at just 11 grams.
This bowl skips the rice and doesn't miss it. Cauliflower rice picks up cumin, paprika, and diced chili while it cooks down with fresh tomato. The chicken sears in its own pan, both come together at the end. 342 calories and 24 grams of protein with a fat-forward macro split that keeps carbs at just 11 grams.
Ingredients
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- onion 0.25
- garlic 1 clove
- tomato 1
- chili pepper 0.5
- paprika (ground spice) 0.5 teaspoon
- ground cumin 1 pinch
- cauliflower rice 7 ounces
Method
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Heat half of the oil in a pan and cook the chicken breast until done. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
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In another pan, heat the remaining oil and sauté the onion and garlic.
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Meanwhile, dice the tomato and chili pepper into small pieces and add them along with the spices to the onion and garlic. After 2 minutes, add the cauliflower rice. Stir everything together and cook for another 5 minutes.
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Transfer the Mexican cauliflower rice to a bowl and serve it with the chicken breast.
Add the cauliflower rice after the tomato has released its juices — the rice absorbs the spiced liquid instead of steaming dry, and the flavor difference is noticeable within the first minute.
Behind this recipe
Can I use regular rice instead of cauliflower rice?
Yes, but the macro profile shifts substantially. White rice brings the carbs from 11 grams to roughly 45 grams and adds around 150 calories. The spice blend (cumin, paprika, chili) works on any base, so the flavor carries either way.
Why does this recipe use two separate pans?
Chicken needs high, dry heat to brown properly. Crowding it with wet vegetables drops the pan temperature and steams the meat instead of searing it. Separate pans let the chicken develop a crust while the spice blend builds flavor in the cauliflower rice simultaneously — and both finish in 20 minutes.
Is 24 grams of protein enough for a dinner?
Multiple trials have shown that the body uses protein well beyond the old 30-gram-per-meal limit, so 24 grams is comfortably within range. For a 342-calorie single serving, the protein-to-calorie ratio is solid. Adding an extra ounce of chicken breast bumps it closer to 30 grams if you prefer more.
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