Chicken and Rice Bento

I wanted a more substantial bento today, and I had some leftover chicken from that yummy bird I got from Triple T Ranch. Save your leftovers! They make great bento ingredients! :)

In the upper compartment: leftover chicken cooked with zucchini and spices and garnished with cilantro and basil, tomatoes from Ridgeview Farms and The Patch, a fig from The Patch, grapes from Neufeld Farms, and a lychee (from Safeway!).

In the lower compartment: Crescent Moon Farms cucumbers (marinated in seasoned rice vinegar, sugar, and salt), rice, chopped beni shoga (red pickled ginger), black sesame seeds, and a small sprig of fresh dill.

Today's bento was put together pretty quickly because I set the rice on to cook while I was taking a shower. The chicken was already cooked, so it was just a matter of heating it up with some other ingredients and then putting it in the bento. I think I took about 15 minutes to make this bento, not counting the rice cooking time.

These are gorgeous Green Zebra tomatoes from The Patch in Sonoma. They are at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday. Great tomatoes!

Recipe for Spicy Chicken with Zucchini

1/4 cup cooked chicken, chopped small

1/8 cup small dice zucchini

1/2 tablespoon minced red onion

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 pinch ground ginger

a few drops toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar or 1/2 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Cook chicken, zucchini, onion, and garlic in olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When sizzling and warmed through, add other ingredients. Stir and heat through. Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro and basil. Makes one serving.

I featured this bento on Shannon's What's For Lunch Wednesdays blog. Check it out for other great bento ideas. :)