Coconut Ginger Chicken and Green Jasmine Rice

Disclosure: Vita Coco compensated The Recipe ReDux (co-owned by ReganMillerJones, Inc. and Teaspoon Communications), to sponsor this recipe contest. We are therefore not eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. Opinions expressed are our own.

I admit, for this latest Recipe ReDux recipe contest , “Get Culinary With Coconut Water” sponsored by Vita Coco Pure coconut water, my mind drew a blank.

While I often use coconut milk in cooking, I’ve never thought to use coconut water as an ingredient. Granted, it’s become a popular beverage only recently in the United States so I have only thought about it as a beverage.

Up to now.

I started thinking about how plain water, juice or broth are essential ingredients in so many recipes. And then I couldn’t stop thinking up ways to experiment with coconut water: Whip up tropical smoothie? Sauté scallops? Steam some veggies? Cook a batch of whole grains?

After watching a culinary demo on Indonesia cooking, I settled on poaching chicken in coconut water with a few aromatics. A couple of garlic cloves and chunks of fresh ginger in a pot of simmering coconut water created an amazing scent and not to mention, a super tasty chicken.

I figured, why stop there? So I cooked some brown jasmine rice in more coconut water, which resulted in a slighty sweet, delicious flavor. Avocado, green onions, mint and lime juice mixed into the rice along with pieces of the cooled chicken completed the dish.

Oh my goodness.

I could not stop eating this.

Let’s just say coconut water is my new pantry staple.

Coconut Ginger Chicken & Green Jasmine Rice

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• Yield: 4 - 6 servings

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Description

Easy to make. Delicious to eat: Coconut Ginger Chicken & Green Jasmine Rice

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Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1 (500 ml) container Vita Coco Pure unflavored coconut water
• 2 garlic cloves, bruised
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
• 1 pound skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
• Salt & pepper

For the rice:

• 1 (500 ml) container Vita Coco Pure unflavored coconut water
• 1 cup uncooked brown jasmine rice
• 1 avocado, cut into cubes
• 4 green onions (white & green parts), sliced
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 cup of fresh mint, torn

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Instructions

1. To cook the chicken, place a large sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 500 ml coconut water, garlic and ginger, bring to a boil.
2. Add chicken, cover and lower to a simmer; cook for 25 minutes.
3. Remove chicken to a cutting board. Strain the cooked coconut water and save 1/4 cup.
4. Once cooled, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Set aside.
5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. Add 500 ml coconut water to a pot and bring to a boil.
6. Add rice, cover and lower to medium-low heat; cook for about 35 minutes (or time according to the package.)
7. Remove pot from heat and fluff rice.
8. In a large bowl, toss avocado, green onions and lime juice. Fold in cooked rice and chicken. Add a few tablespoons of the cooked coconut water if rice seems dry. Gently mix in mint. Sprinkle with more cracked black pepper to taste.

Notes

If you have leftovers, save the extra reserved cooked chicken/coconut water. When reheating, add in a few more tablespoons to keep moist.

And here’s what I like about the Vita Coco unflavored coconut water I used for this recipe:

•  45 calores per 8 ounces
• Water comes from younger coconuts, which provide electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, calcium)
• One serving has more potassium than a banana (now I’m thinking about a banana colada smoothie!)
• Never from concentrate

Vita Coco has a variety of coconut water flavors, like orange and pineapple but hands down, my favorite is the pure, unflavored version (now if I could only drink it right from the coconut with a straw, I’d be in hog heaven.)

Have you ever cooked with coconut water?