The inspiration for this Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl came from combining two of my favorite recipes: my Chicken Teriyaki recipe and the Gochujang Vinaigrette from my Beef and Barley Bibimbap Salad recipe. I figured since "sauce is boss" and both of these sauces are already really good, that the combination of the two would have to be amazing! I am a huge fan of rice bowls and am constantly playing around with different flavor combinations. I saw arugula at the grocery store looking so fresh and thought the peppery greens would make a nice base to complement the sweetness of the sauces.

This was honestly the first time I used chicken breasts rather than chicken thighs to make chicken teriyaki! I normally prefer chicken thighs but accidentally bought the wrong thing for the video! D'oh! Instead of freaking out while filming, I decided to pound them thinner on the fly, based on my knowledge of kitchen basics, knowing that chicken breasts often have a hard time getting cooked through without either being raw in the middle or becoming overcooked as a whole. Pounding them thinner would ensure they would cook evenly in less time, thus keeping them juicier.

Our son Lincon has been really into Jasmine rice lately, so I already had it in our rice cooker. I crowned the bowl with a fried egg because rice bowls are screaming for fried eggs in my opinion. The combination of everything was perfect and hit all of the 5 taste qualities. I'm happy to say that this has been one of my favorite combinations of rice bowls yet! 

And then I made a second dish! When I went grocery shopping, I looked around to see what might inspire me. I bought my usual go-to items, such as eggs, lemons, and avocados, but that's when I also saw Dragon Fruit. I was intrigued and remembered to take a selfie with it for my project prompt! 

Dragon Fruit is a "new-to-me" ingredient because even though I've seen it before, I don't ever buy it, eat it, or cook with it. I took a pic for accountability, to remind myself to use it, and then I decided to make something with it that week.

After some research, I saw that it is considered a "superfood," and that it should taste like a cross between a kiwi and a pear....hmm...interesting! I rummaged through my fridge and pulled out the arugula again, as well as avocados and kielbasa...two items I tend to buy over and over again for quick meals.

I decided to make a salad with it by throwing the kielbalsa into the air fryer and slicing it. I cubed up the Dragon Fruit, sliced up the avocado, and made a zesty lemon dressing from my Kale Salad with Garlic Croutons recipe, another favorite! The result was scrumptious! I will definitely make it again. The Dragon Fruit was not only beautiful but added a nice texture and flavor to the salad. It wasn't overly sweet, so it went really well in a savory dish. I liked how buying this one new ingredient stretched my creativity and made the ingredients I already had on hand seem more interesting. Joe and I both loved it, so I will definitely be buying Dragon Fruit again in the future!