Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Rice Bowls
Man Food Friday made a reappearance with these amazing Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Rice Bowls. There’s only so much pumpkin and squash my husband will eat happily and he was starting to reach his limit. I think he was thrilled that I suggested a healthed up take on General Tso’s Chicken but buffalo style. (Gluten free, baked buffalo chicken with brown rice and broccoli.) And I was thrilled that he would cook it and write the post. I love being married to a guy that cooks. #winning
Yes, it is pumpkin and apple season. And yes, you will see plenty of pumpkin and apple recipes here. But sometimes, you just need a quick break. And for me, an easy, comforting break comes in the form of Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Rice Bowls.
Jenna originally thought of this recipe. Her concept took General Tso’s chicken in a rice bowl and replaced it with buffalo chicken. Can’t say that’s not a great idea. Personally I can use a break from time to time with all things pumpkin and apple. But I almost never need an excuse to eat more buffalo chicken.
That’s not say I don’t enjoy the flavors of fall. It just doesn’t make the list. The list, if you haven’t figured out, is the list of food I would willingly eat daily. Buffalo chicken is one. Chocolate and snow crab legs also make the list. All in all, its not a very long list. And it’s pretty constant.
The Goose, on the other hand, changes at a moment’s notice what the list means for her. For a while it was raw chickpeas. And there was the bread phase. The apple sauce phase. And now, well it’s the popcorn phase.
Yes, she can eat popcorn for breakfast, second breakfast, brunch, elevensies, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and post-dessert. She’ll break her popcorn habit to take in a cookie or ice cream. But I am sure if we introduced her to dessert popcorn, she would have no issues right now eating that instead.
Of course, none of her preferences stop of from trying to get her to eat new things.When we made up the Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Rice Bowls, I gave her a small portion. She didn’t seem thrilled with the chicken itself. But the cheesy rice and broccoli, she loved.
And I was OK with this, I figured, more buffalo chicken for me. But for every piece it was “Mama, eat.” Or “Zoe, eat.” Not once did she utter the words, “Dada, eat” and present me her fork with a piece of buffalo chicken on it. We tried to explain that Zoe doesn’t like spicy foods, but trying to convince a toddler and a lab of anything is near impossible.
And it didn’t help that Zoe seemed to love what portions of the Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Rice Bowls she got. And it definitely didn’t help that the Goose found it hysterical whenever Zoe snatched the buffalo chicken and laughed like a crazy baby.
Ingredients
For the buffalo sauce:
- 1 cup Franks Red Hot or other hot sauce
- 6-8 crushed garlic cloves
- 1/4 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- Salt black, and red pepper to taste
For the chicken:
- 1.5 - 2 pounds of chicken strips or breasts
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups all purpose gluten free or regular flour
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 Tablespoon black pepper
- 1/4 Tablespoon salt
For rice:
- 2 cups rice or 2 boil in a bag rice
- 1 head of broccoli cut into pieces
- 1 cup cheddar or similar cheese
- 1/4 Tablespoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup of half and half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Heat butter over medium heat.
- When melted, add the crushed garlic and simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add hot sauce and spices, mixing in the ingredient.
- Cook on low while preparing other ingredients.
- Combine and whip eggs in a small bowl.
- Combine the flour and spices in a separate, medium-sized bowl.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Spray a cookie or similar pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In small handful batches, dip the chicken in the eggs and then the flour.
- Then dip again in egg and flour and place with some space between each of the pieces.
- Repeat until all chicken pieces are covered in flour and placed slightly separated on cooking sheets.
- Place the sheet or sheets into the oven.
- Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes, then flip.
- Cook chicken for another 5 - 7 minutes. Be careful not to over or under cook it.
- Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, cook rice per instructions.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook broccoli for 4 - 6 minutes or until the desired tenderness.
- Drain water from broccoli.
- In the same pot, add the broccoli, rice, half and half, spices, and cheese and mix until well combined and the cheese is melty.
- Toss the chicken with the buffalo sauce in a medium bowl until well coated.
- Add the chicken to the broccoli and rice and mix together.
You had me at cheesy rice! This looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Cheesy rice is perfection
I could totally eat buffalo chicken every day, too!
Seriously, isn’t it yummy?
Wow. I love buffalo chicken and then add it to cheesy rice? SOLD! This looks incredible! Pinned! 🙂
Thanks!
Yum! What a fun meal idea!
I never would have thought of this combo, but it looks amazing! My mouth is watering right now!
It is so good!
These bowls look divine!
Thank you!
This looks really delicious!! Pinning this for later 🙂
Thank you!
This looks delicious! I will have to try this recipe! It looks like it would be a great lunch!
It was. And then a great dinner too on the day that I had the leftovers for lunch. I literally ate this meal for dinner the night my husband made it, and then lunch and dinner the next day. It was that good.
Two of my favorite foods in the world together. Chicken & Rice… that cannot go wrong ever. It looks absolutely delicious!
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Thank you Jacky!
Looks like a great meal! We will have to try it soon.
So yummy!
I could eat buffalo chicken – anything, like every single day! This looks sooooo awesome! Adding this to my list of recipes to try!
Me too. We buffalo-ize everything!
Mmm this looks delicious! And I love that you are able to make it gluten free!
Yes! So important to me. If you are not gf you could use regular ingredients.
Oh these look so yummy!
So yummy!
This looks good and a nice break from the usual fall fare!
But still hearty fall comfort food 🙂
This looks so good!
Thanks!
Yum! I love buffalo chicken, and adding it to a rice dish sounds like a delicious meal, thanks for the recipe!
Enjoy!
My husband would just love this! I will have to make it a point to make it for him!
It’s total man food. My husband loved it. Granted he’s the one that made it. It is good!