Published on January 03, 2023

Dietitian's Choice: Brazilian-Style Chicken and Rice 

brazilian chicken

Chicken breast cooked in a flavorful Brazilian-style marinade paired with rice and roasted vegetables and topped off with a chimichurri sauce. Packed with flavor, chimichurri sauce is traditionally served as a condiment over grilled steaks but has since expanded to other protein choices such as chicken like in this dish. Rich in antioxidants and flavor thanks to the myriad of herbs and vegetables, this balanced meal will surely please the entire family!  

Prep Time: 30 min. | Cook Time: 45 min. | Total Time: 75 min.

Serving size: 1 chicken breast, 4 oz rice, 4 oz roasted vegetables and 1 oz ladle chimichurri sauce over chicken

Ingredients

Brazilian Chicken Breast

  • 1 ½ cups orange juice
  • ¾ cup lime juice
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ¼ tsp fresh minced garlic
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped fine
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp fresh minced cilantro
  • ¾ tsp jalapeno peppers, seeded, diced 1/8”
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • ¾ tsp chili powder
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 4 tbsp grated orange rind
  • 1 tbsp grated lime rind
  • 6 chicken breasts (4 oz each), boneless, skinless

Brazilian Rice

  • 2 tsp canola olive oil
  • 1/3 cup diced yellow onions, ¼”
  • 1 cup white rice, converted
  • 2 1/3 cups hot water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup plum tomatoes, finely chopped

Roasted Vegetables

  • 2 cups fresh eggplant, julienne
  • 2 cups fresh zucchini, julienne
  • 2 cups fresh red peppers, julienne
  • 2 cups fresh red onions, julienne
  • ½ cup + 1 tbsp low fat balsamic vinaigrette

Chimichurri Sauce

  • 3 tbsp low sodium chicken stock
  • 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley, coarse
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro, coarse
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped carrots, coarse
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped yellow onions, coarse
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped red peppers, coarse
  • 1 tsp fresh chopped garlic, coarse
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ¼ tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions

brazilian chicken and rice

Brazilian Chicken Breast

  1. Combine all ingredients except chicken for marinade. Mix until well-blended.
  2. Pour marinade over chicken. Hold refrigerated for 4 hours to marinate
  3. Drain and discard any excess marinade
  4. Arrange chicken on oven-safe pan
  5. Bake in a 400°F standard oven for 10 to 15 minutes and minimum internal temperature is 165°F (for 15 seconds). Cool quickly.

Brazilian Rice

  1. Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add oil and onion. Sauté until onion is transparent.
  2. Add rice. Stir constantly. Cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is fully absorbed.
  4. Gently fold tomato into rice. Transfer to serving bowl.

Roasted Vegetables

  1. Sprinkle eggplant liberally with salt (not listed). Arrange eggplant in a single layer on parchment lined sheet pan. Let stand for 45 minutes. Rinse well and squeeze dry.
  2. Combine eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, onion, and vinaigrette. Toss until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on lightly oiled (not listed) parchment-lined sheet pan.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°F
  4. Place pan in oven. Cook for 6 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender and lightly caramelized (lightly browned).
  5. Serve hot.

Chimichurri Sauce

  1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process on medium speed until smooth.
  2. Hold refrigerated until ready to use.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 334 |Protein: 23 g | Carbohydrate: 41 g | Total Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 1.4 g | Sodium: 550 mg

Noel Le

Recipe Courtesy Noel Le, RDN

Noel is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who aims to heal and nourish by guiding clients to make healthier diet and lifestyle changes. She enjoys navigating the unique challenges presented by both inpatient and outpatient care and continues to build on her expertise involving adult weight management, metabolic and bariatric surgeries, and prediabetes.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more techniques to help build a healthy and nutritious lifestyle, contact one of our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists at the Outpatient Medical Nutrition Therapy Office or our Diabetes Self-Management Program located in the Torrance Memorial Specialty Center, 2841 Lomita Blvd., Suite 335, Torrance. Call 310-891-6707. Visit https://www.torrancememorial.org/Nutrition for upcoming classes and programs!