Entegra Coach Kitchen: Asian Brown Rice & Chicken Salad

Did you get the memo? It’s summer, and it’s getting HOT out there! Even in our well-insulated Luxury Diesel Entegra Coach Motorhome with three air conditioners, there are times when summer heat means I avoid cooking inside. Sure we could throw something on the grill. But when it gets like this, I think it’s too hot to cook outside.

These days; we consider going out to dinner or making a sandwich instead of a more extravagant meal. What do you eat if you’re in a remote area where there aren’t many restaurants, and you’ve consumed the most sandwiches you can bare for the week? You make Asian Brown Rice & Chicken Salad.

This recipe combines pre-cooked brown rice and chicken, with fresh vegetables in a savory dressing. It’s perfect for a hot summer night, a potluck dinner with friends and also makes an excellent main dish for a picnic.

Want something fresh for a moving day or a day out adventuring? Prepare all of your ingredients in advance. When you arrive at your new site or return from a day on the trails, toss the veggies with the dressing, set up camp or take a refreshing shower. You’ll have a delicious meal on the table quickly!

Think this recipe has too many ingredients and want to simplify it? No problem.

• Substitute a bottled salad dressing such as Newman’s Own Sesame Ginger or Ken’s Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame Dressing and Marinade.
• Replace the carrots and cabbage with bagged coleslaw mix.

The Recipe:

Equipment Needed:

- Large Mixing Bowl

- Microplane Zester/Grater

- Box Grater

-Spoon for Mixing

Ingredients:

Dressing (see the note above about substituting a bottle of salad dressing):

·       1 one-inch piece of Ginger, fresh, peeled and grated

·       2 Tbs Olive Oil

·       ¼ cup Rice Vinegar, unseasoned

·       2 Tbs Toasted Sesame Oil

·       1 ½  Tbs Honey

·       2 Tbs Soy Sauce

·       ½ Tbs Sambal Oleek or other chili garlic sauce (optional)

Vegetables (see the note above about substituting bagged coleslaw mix):

·       3 oz Shitake Mushrooms sliced thin (optional)

·       1 Carrot, grated on a box grater

·       ¼ Napa Cabbage, sliced fine (about 3 cups)

·       6 Green Onions, sliced (optional)

Assembly:

·       ½ lb Chicken, cooked (rotisserie, canned, poached or grilled)

·       8-9 oz Brown Rice, cooked

Garnish:

·       ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

1.     Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients.

2.     Add prepared vegetables to the dressing and allow them to sit for one hour at room temperature.

3.     Add chicken and rice and stir together thoroughly.

4.     Serve garnished with cilantro (optional).

The longer you let this sit, the softer your veggies will become and the more water they release. I prefer to serve it about an hour after making it when the veggies have softened, but still have plenty of crunch remaining, as a contrast to the already soft rice and chicken. If you have leftovers but are missing the crunch, consider adding some extra raw veggies, slivered almonds or crushed peanuts.

This recipe packs a lot of umami flavor with mushrooms, soy sauce and sesame oil. It’s a satisfying meal that will cool you off on even the hottest summer days.

CONTRIBUTORS SECTION

Anne Klumpp – On The Road of Adventure

Anne Klumpp, her husband, Brian and their dog, Skipper, travel full-time in their 2015 Entegra Aspire 44B. Anne “retired” from a 25-year career in the wine business to pursue life on the road. She shares about the RV Lifestyle and their adventures on the road, especially related to food and beverage.

Entegra Coach Ambassador: Aspire

@ontheroadofadventure on Instagram

Facebook: On the Road of Adventure

Their blog :www.ontheroadofadventure.com