Chicken Kitchen-Inspired Chop Chop Bowls

One of the fast-casual restaurants I miss most from my years in Miami is Chicken Kitchen. It’s not quite fast food—think Chipotle-style ordering, but with Caribbean-inspired flavors.

Their signature dish is the famous Chop Chop: citrus-marinated grilled chicken that’s chopped into bite-sized pieces and served over fragrant yellow rice. From there, you customize your bowl with your favorite sauce. They offer several, but I’ve always reached for the cilantro garlic lime sauce, mustard curry sauce, or sweet and sour sauce.

Over the years they’ve added all kinds of variations—the Cuban Chop, the South of the Border Chop, and more—but the original will always be my favorite. Since moving away from Miami, I created this recipe to capture the flavors I remember growing up with. It’s become my favorite way to recreate a Chicken Kitchen Chop Chop at home whenever I’m craving a taste of South Florida.

Yellow Rice

Ingredients

2 cups white rice (parboiled works especially well)

2⅓ cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Loisa Sazón

Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. Add the rice to the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, just until lightly toasted. The rice should not brown.

Pour in the chicken stock and stir in the salt, turmeric, and Loisa Sazón. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once much of the liquid has been absorbed, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

5 garlic cloves, grated

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Juice of 1 lime

⅓ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Garlic powder, to taste

Salt, to taste

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, oregano, lime juice, orange juice, and olive oil.

Place the chicken in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over it. Coat the chicken well, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before grilling. Season both sides with salt and a light sprinkle of garlic powder.

For the best flavor, grill the chicken over charcoal or an open flame to give it a lightly smoky, fire-grilled taste similar to Chicken Kitchen’s. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, then chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

1 bunch fresh cilantro, thick stems removed

Juice of 1 lime

1-2 tbsp. water

1 large garlic clove

Instructions

Add the mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

Taste and adjust with additional lime juice if desired. If you’d like a thinner, more drizzle-able sauce, blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until it reaches your preferred consistency.

To Assemble

Spoon the yellow rice into serving bowls and top with the chopped grilled chicken. Generously drizzle with the cilantro garlic lime sauce and serve immediately.

Don’t be shy with the sauce—that creamy cilantro garlic lime dressing is what makes a Chicken Kitchen Chop Chop so memorable.