We already have a delicious banh mi recipe on the blog.
It’s of the more traditional sandwich variety, but untraditional in that it features tofu instead of meat. If you haven’t made it, you should. This version sticks to the meat, but instead requires a fork for eating rather than your hands. You all know I have a thing for food in bowls.
You may look at the recipe and think it has quite a few components – meatballs, quinoa, pickled veg, and a sauce that has me licking my lips just thinking about it. But the reason this meal can still be a weeknight dinner saviour is that many, if not all the components can be made a day or two ahead of time. And even if you have a spur of the moment banh mi craving, it still comes together lickity split – a 35 minute meal for sure.
One of the best parts about these bowls is if you have some toddlers or babies in your household with discerning palates, they can be deconstructed to fit everyones needs. My husband and I ate them as is, my 3 year old had the meatballs pre-saucing, quinoa, and only the pickled carrots, and my 7 month old ditched the fork and used her hands to shovel some smashed meatball pieces into her mouth.
Winner winner chicken dinner!
Dara
Chicken Meatball Banh Mi Bowls
Serves | 4 |
Meal type | Main Dish |
From magazine | Adapted from Cooking Light |
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 Pound dark meat ground chicken
- 1/2 Tbsp chicken broth powder
- 1/2 Tbsp ginger (minced)
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 lime (juiced)
Bowls
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar snap peas
- 1 cup carrots (shaved into ribbons (use a vegetable peeler))
- 1 cup radishes (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 3/4 cups beef stock
- 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chile paste
- 1 1/2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted)
- 1 cup quinoa
Note
The meatballs, quinoa, and pickled vegetable mixture can all be made a day ahead of time. You can use turkey or beef in place of the chicken in the meatballs. Brown rice or barley would make a good substitution for the quinoa.
Directions
Meatballs | |
1. | Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. |
2. | Mix all ingredients together and form into small balls. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. |
Bowls | |
3. | Place quinoa and 2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to low. Simmer for about 12 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Set aside. |
4. | In another saucepan, bring vinegar, water, and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add carrots and radishes and stir to coat. Let the vegetables sit in the liquid for 20 minutes. Drain and add cilantro and mix to combine. Set aside. |
5. | In a large skillet over medium heat combine stock, soy sauce, chile paste, and peanut butter. Add meatballs and toss to coat. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until heated through. Remove meatballs and continue to cook sauce uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, until thickened. |
6. | Divide quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top each bowl with 3-4 meatballs, the pickled vegetable mixture, and additional sauce. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and dig in! |
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