Tasty Tuesday Hawaiian Haystacks
A customizable comfort food bowl featuring coconut-toasted jasmine rice topped with a rich, homemade creamy chicken gravy and a vibrant array of sweet and savory toppings.
Equipment
- Rice pot
- Large high-sided sauté pan
- Small bowls for toppings
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Creamy Chicken Sauce:
- 6 Tbl Butter
- 1 Onion diced
- 3 Chicken Breasts raw, cut into ½” cubes
- 1/3 Cup Flour most flours will work - I've tried regular, spelt, einkorn, gluten-free and all they all work
- 1/4 tsp Ground Pepper
- 1 tsp Real Salt *
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Ground Mustard
- 1 1/2 Cup Whole Milk Carton Coconut Milk or Almond Milk will work as well
- 1 14.5 oz can Chicken Broth
For the Sauteed Vegetables:
- 1 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 1 Bell Pepper red, yellow or orange, diced
- Real Salt * and pepper to taste
Suggested toppings:
- Pineapple tidbits
- Mandarin Oranges
- Shredded Coconut *
- Shredded Cheese
- Sliced Black Olives
- Diced Tomatoes
- Diced Celery
- Diced Bell Pepper
- Chopped Red Onion
- Chopped Green Onion
- Cooked Frozen Peas
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Sunflower Seeds *
- Macadamia nuts *
Instructions
Coconut-Toasted Jasmine Rice Base
- In your rice pot, warm a tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat, then add dry Jasmine rice and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until it smells nutty and the grains look slightly opaque.
- Cook the rice using a 50/50 mix of coconut milk and water as the liquid, and let it steam at the end so the perfume stays trapped in the pot instead of escaping into the air.
Creamy Chicken Sauce (Roux-Based)
- Set a large high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter, then add the diced onion and let it soften for 1 minute, just until it turns glossy and fragrant.
- Add the chicken cubes and sauté until the onion is translucent and the chicken is cooked through, stirring so the bottom of the pan does not brown too aggressively.
- Sprinkle in the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ground mustard, then stir until everything looks coated and a little pasty, and keep cooking for another 30 seconds so the flour taste cooks out.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir constantly as it thickens, watching for the moment it turns from loose to spoon-coating and silky.
- Add the milk, bring it to a boil, and stir until thickened again, then taste and adjust seasoning so the gravy tastes savory, not flat.
Sautéed Vegetables and Assembly
- In a separate sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, then sauté the zucchini and peppers until just tender. They should still have a little snap, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Build each bowl with rice first, then ladle on creamy chicken sauce, add the sautéed vegetables, and finish with your favorite toppings for that creamy, crunchy, sweet, and savory payoff.
Notes
Roux Secret: Always cook the flour and butter mixture for at least 30 seconds before adding liquids to eliminate the raw flour taste and ensure a rich flavor base. Texture Tip: Sauté the zucchini and peppers only until they are tender-crisp. Overcooking them makes them disappear into the gravy rather than providing a refreshing contrast. Assembly Strategy: Place shredded cheese directly onto the hot chicken gravy so it melts perfectly before adding cold toppings like mandarin oranges or pineapple. Storage Tip: Store the chicken sauce and toppings in separate containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days to prevent the toppings from becoming soggy. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 32gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 850mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 12mg
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