charger Pre-Run

Night-Before Chicken & White Rice

Name: Night-Before Chicken & White Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 bowls
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice; 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; 2 small chicken breasts (about 250 g), sliced; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; 1 small carrot, finely diced (about 60 g); 1 tbsp chives, chopped; Lemon wedge, to serve

Dinner the night before

The non-pasta night-before meal. Jasmine rice and honey-soy chicken: a big load of low-fiber carbs, clean protein, and almost nothing that will still be in your gut at the start line.

skilletCook20 min

soup_kitchenPrep10 min

restaurantYield2 bowls

boltCarbs~85g

water_dropSodium1000mg

exerciseProteins~39g

grassFiber~2g

For your run

When: Dinner the night beforeDetails
Eat 12-16 hours before a long run or race. White rice is one of the fastest-digesting starches, so glycogen is topped up by morning and your gut is empty at the start.
Why it works: White rice over brown or pasta: less fiber means faster gastric emptying and less risk of a mid-race bathroom stop. Honey and soy add sodium and fast sugar to the glaze. Protein is moderate on purpose; a huge protein load the night before slows digestion without helping the run.
Wrong time: Eaten 2 hours before instead of the night before, this much rice and chicken is too heavy and you will feel it at km 3. The night-before window works because you sleep through digestion.
How much: One bowl per person, two if you are over 80 kg or racing 30 km or more. Pair with water, not a big dessert.
On the run: Cook the rice the afternoon before if you are travelling to a race. Reheat with a splash of water.
Replaces: The pasta-party dinner, for people who don't want pasta.
Fits: Long runRace
GI risk: Low GI risk

Ingredients

Rice

1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Chicken

2 small chicken breasts (about 250 g), sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1 small carrot, finely diced (about 60 g)

1 tbsp chives, chopped

Lemon wedge, to serve

Notes

Keep the vegetables minimal on purpose. This is the one night you want less fiber, not more. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear so it cooks fluffy and digests fast. Leftover chicken and rice reheats well and makes a decent post-run lunch the next day.

Instructions

Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear. Add to a pot with the water and salt, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff.

1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Chicken

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate.

2 small chicken breasts (about 250 g), sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Chicken

In the same pan, add the carrot, ginger, and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the honey and soy sauce and let it bubble for 30 seconds into a glaze. Return the chicken and toss to coat.

1 small carrot, finely diced (about 60 g)

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

Chicken

Serve the chicken over the rice with chives and a squeeze of lemon.

1 tbsp chives, chopped

Lemon wedge, to serve

Sensitive stomach or different conditions? Try Classic Marinara Spaghetti