Deja Food: Grocery List and Recipes for Two Chicken Dinners

The goal of this "deja food" is to save time by preparing the meat once then using it twice, and to save money by ensuring that the food you buy is used.  

Below is the grocery list & recipes for two dinners where the chicken used in both.  Winner, winner, chicken dinners.  

On the Menu:
Mexican Rice & Chicken Bowls
Chicken "Fried" Rice

Grocery List:

• 2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast/thighs
• 1 pound rice
• 4 avocados 
• shredded mexican cheese
• 1 can of corn
• sour cream
• caldo de tomate (tomato bouillon)
• chicken bouillon 
• frozen "classic" mixed vegetables (peas, carrots & green beans) 
• soy sauce

Day 1:
Prepare the chicken by boiling in 6 cups of water seasoned with 2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon.  Once the chicken has cooled, shred it and store in a ziplock bag in the fridge. 

Mexican Rice Bowls

 Rice:

• 1 cup of rice
• 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil 
• tomato bouillon
• pot with lid

Heat 1 teaspoon of butter or olive oil in a quart pan on medium heat, add one cup of rice and stir until brown (5-7 minutes), don't skip this step, it makes the rice soft & fluffy!  Add roughly two teaspoons of caldo de tomate and 1 & 1/2 cups of water, bring to boil.  Once mixture is boiling, stir, reduce the heat to low, cover and allow rice to cook for twenty minutes. 

For the rice bowls:

• can of corn
• 2 avocados 
• cooked chicken 
• sour cream
• shredded cheese

Once rice is cooked add the can of corn and stir.  Shred 1-2 cups of the chicken, reheat if necessary.  Slice avocado.  For each bowl add rice, chicken, cheese, avocado and sour cream.  The hubs likes to  sprinkle on some Tapatio for a little extra spice...yum!   

Chicken "Fried" Rice

There are two ways I make fried rice, this is the easy and not fried way.  So moms, this is dish is for you. One pot. Easy. Contains veggies. Easy. Did I mention it's all in one pot?  

• 1/2 cup frozen veggies
• 1 cup of white rice
• 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon
• shredded chicken
• soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil  
• pot or saute pan with a lid

Heat oil in a saute pan on medium heat, add rice and stir until light brown.  

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water, chicken, frozen veggies and bouillon and bring to a boil.  Add a tablespoon of soy sauce. 

Stir, cover and reduce heat to low.  If the water is boiling while the lid is on, your burner is too hot. 

After about ten minutes give it a stir and check to see that there is still some water in the pot, if not add 1/2 cup of water.  Hide from your kids in the pantry while it cooks for another ten minutes.  Maybe enjoy a peanut butter spoon while you hide. 

Simmer on low for a total of ~20 minutes or until rice is soft and fluffy.  Stir. Taste. Taste again. Add more soy sauce if needed.