Plant Power - Japanese Miso Chicken Bowl Recipe

Good for the Gut - The Power of Plants

When we think of performance nutrition, it’s easy to get carried away with calculating calories and macronutrients, and perhaps overlooking both dietary quality and variety. It’s important to remember that we don’t eat calories and macronutrients - we eat food - and our bodies thrive when they’re fuelled with high-quality, nutrient-dense food.

To help maximise the variety of your diet, and thereby the range of key nutrients such as vitamins and minerals your body takes in, try to count your Plant Points each week. The goal is to consume 30 different plant foods per week to support optimal gut health. This is easier than it seems, as each unique grain, vegetable, seed, herb, and spice counts toward this score, often in smaller amounts that you would initially think. Even a pinch of cinnamon on your porridge or a sprinkling of fresh coriander leaves over a homemade curry count!

Aiming for 30 plant foods give you an opportunity to pack gut friendly ingredients in your diet each week, and these foods can fall into the category of prebiotics (foods that serve as a fuel source for friendly gut bacteria) or probiotics (foods that contribute further good bacteria directly to the gut). Furthermore, these kinds of foods typically contain a range of beneficial vitamins and minerals that also support overall health and energy.

Japanese Miso Chicken Bowl Recipe - A Plant-Packed Power Bowl

To start you off, we’re sharing the recipe for our plant-packed Japanese Miso Chicken Bowl! This scores a whopping 8 plant points due to the flavourful combination of red miso paste, grains, herbs and vegetables, and it’s versatile enough for a speedy prep lunch or a family-friendly dinner.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 100g chicken breast, uncooked
• 10g red miso paste
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 45g brown rice (uncooked)
• 40g cucumber, peeled or chopped
• 30g radish, sliced
• ½ a spring onion, sliced
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 20g pickled ginger
• 10g mixed leaves (optional)
• ¼ sheet of nori (optional)

Method

1. Cook the Grain: Bring ½ litre of water to a boil, add in the rice, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain any excess water.
2. Sear the Protein: While the rice is cooking, heat a pan (high heat) with the rapeseed oil. Rub some of the oil onto the raw chicken, seasoning with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, add the chicken, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 6 minutes without moving it. Flip the chicken and cook for another 6 minutes, covering the pan with a lid. Slice the chicken and ensure it is thoroughly cooked through before serving.
3. Build the Sauce & Veg: While the chicken is cooking, prepare your vegetables. To make the miso sauce, whisk together the miso paste and sesame oil with a tablespoon of water.
4. Assemble: Dish out the rice and mixed leaves into a bowl, then top with the cucumber, radish, and sliced chicken. Pour the savoury miso sauce over the top and garnish with the spring onion, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and nori.

Make it Your Way

To make this dish fit better with your dietary preferences or lifestyle, consider making the following adjustments:

• Make it Vegan: Swap the chicken for 120g of firm, pressed tofu and sear it in the pan using the exact same method.
• Make it Pescatarian: Swap the chicken for 85g of raw prawns, pan-frying them for 3–4 minutes until pink and cooked through.
• Make it for the Family: Simply multiply the ingredient weights by the number of people you wish to serve. Why not lay the components out family-style so that children or partners can build their own bowls according to their own preferences?
• Make it Meal Prep-Style: Double or triple the rice and chicken portions during prep, then store the cooked rice, cooked chicken, and chopped raw vegetables in separate compartments of a meal-prep container. Drizzle the miso dressing over the top just before eating it cold, or reheat the rice and chicken until piping hot and serve with the vegetables and dressing.

Boosting your intake of plants is easier (and more delicious!) than you think! By aiming for 30 plant points per week, you’ll be giving your gut a boost and enjoying the full benefits of plant-based eating on your health and performance.

For more gut-friendly performance recipes, check out our 'Fuel like a Champion’ Recipe Book collection here.