3.96 28 Published Jan 04, 2022, Updated Sep 11, 2024 This chicken protein bowl is packed with comforting vegetables, has a quinoa base and is topped with a delicious maple dijon dressing. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand or follow this recipe to a tee – either way it’s bound to become a staple recipe in your home!
Ingredients Needed
quinoa – cook the quinoa according to package directions or use this simple tutorial for perfect quinoa. chicken breasts – I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs work as well! avocado or olive oil – for roasting the vegetables! toasted almonds – I recommend buying raw almonds and toasting them for the best flavor! brussels sprouts – trim the tough end of the sprout off and remove any damaged or wilted leaves. If they’re smaller brussels sprouts, you can just halve them, otherwise I like to cut into quarters. sweet potato – scrub your potato well and then cut into cubes. kale – any type of kale works! If you’re not a kale fan, you can swap for a different green – spinach is a great, milder option. avocado – an optional topping but I love the creaminess and healthy fats it adds to the dish. sea salt and pepper – to bring all of the flavors together. maple dijon dressing – a delicious and simple combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
How to Make a Chicken Protein Bowl
Cook quinoa: Start by cooking the quinoa according to package directions. If you meal prepped quinoa for the week, this is a great recipe to use it in! Marinade chicken: Make the dressing and marinade by whisking the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic, oil, salt and pepper until well combined. Separate out 6 Tablespoons of dressing and set aside. Use the rest of the dressing to marinate the chicken in a shallow dish or plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. Toast almonds: While your quinoa cooks and chicken marinates, prep the rest of the ingredients! Start by toasting the almonds. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and roast at 350ºF for 5 minutes. Stir and toast another 5 minutes or until the almonds are golden brown and fragrant. Roast veggies: Turn the oven to 400ºF while you prep the veggies. Combine the sweet potatoes + brussels sprouts in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes. Cook chicken: At the halfway mark of cooking the vegetables, give them a toss and then start cooking the chicken. Add oil to a cast iron skillet (or another oven safe skillet) and turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side. After searing the chicken, place the skillet into the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the internal temperature is 165ºF. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sauté kale: In the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in, add one last teaspoon of oil and sauté the chopped kale until wilted and tender. This only takes about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Assemble bowls: It’s assembly time! Add quinoa, kale and roasted veggies to the bowls. Top with 1 piece of chicken and the toasted almonds. Drizzle with the dressing and top with sliced avocado if using.
Variations
The best thing about bowl dinners is that they are completely customizable!
Grain – feel free to swap the quinoa for any grain of choice. This bowl would be delicious with brown rice or even farro! Protein – I used marinated chicken breasts for this recipe but any protein will work! Marinate tofu or tempeh in the same mixture for plant-based protein. Vegetables – the sky is the limit when it comes to vegetables. I like to use vegetables that roast well but aside from that, have at it! Greens – I mentioned this earlier but you can use spinach in place of kale if you are not a kale fan. You can also swap the kale for another leafy green like swiss chard. Dressing – I love this maple dijon dressing but you can switch it up! This bowl would also be delicious with my cilantro lime dressing, garlic tahini dressing or apple cider vinaigrette dressing
How to Meal Prep in Advance
This is the ultimate meal prep bowl. You can prep all of the components in advance and have a delicious, filling meal in minutes! Here’s what I would do: You can either cook the chicken ahead of time (after it’s had time to marinate) or cook it right before assembling the bowls.
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