Street Corn Chicken + Rice Bowl with Cilantro Jalapeño Ranch
All of the best summer flavors in one bowl that will satisfy your luteal phase cravings in a nourishing + hormone healthy way!
Hello and welcome to HORMONE HEALTHY EATS from So Fresh N So Green’s Lauren Chambers, a nutrition + hormone health coach & girl mom x 3. If you’re here and aren’t yet a subscriber, I would love to have you join me! You can expect a monthly newsletter filled with simple + fun hormone balancing tools, tips & personal faves + a delicious, hormone healthy recipe aligned with each phase of your cycle delivered to your inbox every week.
Street Corn Chicken and Rice Bowls are seriously trending right now, and I am in full support!
PSST- While I’ve been posting nutrient-dense, real-food recipes that support hormone health for well over a decade on my blog, I’m so excited to continue my new weekly series where I share a delicious recipe that not only supports your hormones, but is tailored to each phase of your menstrual cycle. If this is a totally new or foreign concept, you can read more about it here!
My husband and I both love Mexican street corn (also known as Elote) and you can rest assured we’re ordering it any time it’s on the menu. If you haven’t heard or tried this delicious dish, it’s a popular street food in Mexico, and it typically consists of either grilled or broiled corn on the cob, slathered with a creamy sauce (often mayo, sour cream or a combo) and topped with spices like chili powder, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro and lime. YUM.
When creating this bowl, I wanted to incorporate all of those delicious, creamy, zesty and slightly spicy flavors, while sneaking in lots of extra nutrients (like chicken, rice and greens to make it a full meal) and add in my own sauce flair, because I just love a good sauce (especially if you can repurpose it in other dishes throughout the week).
I am truly so happy with the way this Street Corn Chicken + Rice Bowl with Cilantro Jalapeño Ranch turned out, and I crave it often, but especially during my luteal phase, when I’m needing a bit more carbs to stabilize my energy and mood but still want to keep things seasonal and super flavorful.
This is also an easy, 30-minute, versatile, family-friendly meal that everyone in my household loves. For the kids I usually just leave off the cilantro jalapeño ranch, since it can be a tad too spicy for them, and serve with some basic ranch or sour cream. Leftovers also taste great as is, or you can use the individual components to make a salad (just swap the rice for chopped romaine), tacos (stuff tortillas with the leftover chicken and corn, drizzle the sauce and top with avo + cotija cheese) or quesadillas (use the chicken and corn as a filling, add shredded cheddar or mozzarella and use the ranch as a dipping sauce). Either way you can’t go wrong!
As I was developing this recipe (which I typically do 1-2 months in advance and taste test a minimum 3x), corn wasn’t yet in season, so I was using canned organic corn (which still tastes great). However now that fresh corn is available and in it’s prime, it truly elevates this bowl to the next level. Basically what I’m saying is don’t sleep on making this during peak corn season, aka this summer!
With that, let’s get into the recipe and hormone healthy nutrient details.
Immediately after ovulation, your dominant follicle transforms into the corpus luteum and begins producing progesterone. Progesterone takes over for estrogen, which up until ovulation, was building a cushy endometrium lining in anticipation of a potential pregnancy.
Progesterone completes the maturation process and renders the lining receptive for egg implantation. In the event an egg was fertilized, the corpus luteum will continue producing progesterone throughout pregnancy. If not, it breaks down about 12-14 days post-ovulation, beginning your period and a new menstrual cycle.
This shift often feels gradual, just like that slow transition from late summer to early fall, and we’re often still riding high off the feel-good effects of ovulation for about the first half of this phase. However, as progesterone production increases, it naturally inclines us to turn our attention inward and focus on routines, organization, self-care regimens and completing important tasks or goals.
While a dwindle in energy and a more introspective mood is normal during this time, many women experience symptoms that are common but not normal – such as PMS, insomnia, bloat, cravings, headaches, cramping, anxiety, acne or depression– making this phase often the most dreaded of the entire cycle.
However I can assure you – as someone who struggled with PMS for many, many years – when your hormones are operating in harmony this can actually be a really beautiful and enjoyable time in your cycle, and the autumnal themed foods and heartier recipes happen to be some of my favorites.
Speaking of food, the increase in progesterone during the luteal phase also stimulates appetite and increases body temperature and resting metabolic rate, which may require women to consume anywhere between 100-300 more calories per day.
This is especially not the time to count calories, restrict foods or skip meals, as doing so can destabilize blood sugar, dysregulate feel good hormones like serotonin and dopamine, and increase cortisol production (which also turns on fat storage). I also want to point out if you do feel hungrier during this phase, it is completely normal, and I encourage you to listen to your body (I say this as someone who ignored hunger signals for years to adhere to the same calorie intake day after day, with major PMS to show for it).
While adequate progesterone levels are important, they can naturally slow digestion (hi bloat and constipation) so it’s important to eat plenty of warm, well-cooked and fiber-rich foods, which support large intestine functionality and increase transit time, leading to regular bowel movements.
Due to the hormonal fluctuations that take place during this phase, it’s important to consume plenty of nutrients that support progesterone production, stable blood sugar levels, optimal digestion and healthy mood and brain function. This includes:
+ Foods high in B vitamins including wild caught fatty fish, oats, poultry, organ/red meats, banana, citrus, potatoes, ricotta + cottage cheese
+ Fiber-rich foods like chickpeas/legumes, pears, apples, starchy root veggies, leafy greens, gf whole grains, walnuts
+ Complex carbs including sweet potato/potato, squash, pumpkin, carrots, buckwheat, millet, brown rice, oats
+ Foods rich in magnesium such as dark leafy greens, fish, nuts and seeds, legumes, avocado, whole grains, dark chocolate
+ Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like fatty fish, oysters, egg yolks, spirulina, walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds
+ Anti-inflammatory herbs + spices such as burdock root, ginger, dandelion root, red raspberry leaf, peppermint, cinnamon, oat straw, garlic
No matter what phase of my cycle I’m in, one eating philosophy I always focus on is incorporating protein, fat and fiber derived from complex carbohydrates into every meal. These three macronutrients need to be consumed for hormones to synthesize, produce and function optimally.
Not only that, but when combined in a meal or snack, they work to keep blood sugar stable (a pillar of hormone balance and key for keeping PMS at bay) and actually trigger your endocrine system to release cholecystokinin (CCK) which is a hormone that helps your body break down and digest food properly, as well as contributes to feelings of satiety and fullness after eating.
If you are someone who struggles with never feeling full or like you constantly need to snack to feel satisfied (especially during this phase!), I highly encourage you to look into how you are composing your meals, and if you have enough macronutrients to round out them out. If this sounds confusing or too much for you, you can rest assured every meal I create on this platform is designed in a way to nourish your hormones, keep blood sugar balanced, enjoy your food and feel satisfied after eating it!
Along with this meal containing plenty of healthy protein (chicken, greek yogurt), fat (avocado, greek yogurt) and fiber (corn, leafy greens, avocado), it’s also loaded with micronutrients needed for a symptom-free luteal phase, such as B vitamins from the chicken (energy + mood support) and magnesium from the avocado and leafy greens (reduces cramping + soreness, promotes optimal sleep).
Like I mentioned above, I could eat this meal regularly (and often do!) but I especially love it during this phase for how hearty and nourishing it feels (adding a little bit of rice does wonders for my mood and serotonin levels) while still keeping it summer appropriate with fresh, bright and seasonal flavors.
Street Corn Chicken + Rice Bowls with Cilantro Jalapeño Ranch
GF/DF Alternatives
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken + Rice Bowl:
1 ½ -2 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6-8 thighs)
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for topping
1 cup jasmine rice
1 ¾ cups bone broth
2 large ears of fresh corn, shucked or 1 15-ounce can organic sweet corn, drained
¼ cup red radish, thinly sliced (about ½ of a bunch)
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups organic baby spinach (can sub for romaine or other shredded lettuce)
1 to 2 avocados, peeled and sliced
Fresh cilantro, limes wedges and cotija cheese for serving
Cilantro Jalapeño Ranch:
½ cup Greek yogurt (or swap for coconut yogurt to keep dairy-free)
1/3 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
Juice and zest of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 cup cilantro leaves
½ jalapeño, deseeded and diced
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
Prep your chicken. Coat your chicken thighs with the avocado oil and spices in a medium-sized bowl until well-mixed. Set in the fridge for 15 minutes to marinate while you prepare your rice and corn. *If grilling, preheat your grill to medium high heat.
Cook your rice. Rinse and drain your rice three times in a fine mesh sieve with cold water. Add to a medium-sized stovetop pot with the bone broth, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
Cook your chicken and corn. If grilling, preheat your grill to medium high heat (425-450 F). Once heated, add your chicken thighs and corn directly to the grill, grilling your chicken for about 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temp reaches 165 F. Grill 4 sides of corn for 2-3 minutes per side, or 8-10 minutes total. If cooking stovetop, heat one large and one medium-sized dry skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the large skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temp reaches 165 F. Cook the corn kernels in the medium-sized skillet for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until corn is charred. Once chicken is done cooking, transfer to a cutting board and slice or cut into chunks. If grilling the corn, let cool, then shave the kernels off to use in the bowls.
Make your cilantro jalapeño ranch. Add all ranch dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and mix until creamy and well combined. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Chop and assemble all remaining bowl ingredients.
Assemble your rice bowls. Once everything is done cooking, layer your ingredients into bowls in this order: rice, baby spinach, corn and chopped chicken. Drizzle with the cilantro jalapeño ranch and top with red onion slices, thinly sliced radish, avocado slices, cilantro leaves, cotija cheese and lime wedges.
NOTES/TIPS:
Both grilling and stovetop methods taste great, however I always opt to grill in the summertime if possible! Additionally if you can get your hands on fresh, seasonal corn on the cob vs. canned, it will truly take this bowl to the next level.
SWAPS:
+ If you want a more traditional street corn taste, you can omit the cilantro jalapeño ranch and mix together 1/2 cup each of sour cream and mayonnaise, along with the juice from 1 lime, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and sea salt. OR to save time, you can purchase a pre-made ranch (I love this one).
+ If you’re looking to add more fiber, feel free to swap the jasmine rice for brown rice, millet, or quinoa.
+ If you want to keep this bowl dairy-free, leave out the cotija cheese and swap the Greek yogurt for an alternative like coconut in the sauce.
+ While it’s not traditional by any means, I also think this bowl tastes great with roasted sweet potatoes (bake on a sheet pan at 425 F for 25-30 minutes with avocado oil and sea salt, flipping halfway through).
+ If you’re not a fan of spice leave the jalapeño out of the spice and omit the chili powder.
STORAGE/LEFTOVERS:
Make sure to cool to room temp, then store in individual components in an airtight glass container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
*Recipe photography by Tanya Pilgrim
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