Description
This Chicken Quinoa Bowl is a nutritious and flavorful meal featuring tender, spiced chicken breasts served over fluffy quinoa with fresh vegetables and a tangy homemade dressing. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner, it combines protein-rich quinoa and chicken with vibrant toppings like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and optional feta cheese, all garnished with fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- Pinch of salt
For the Vegetables and Toppings
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
For the Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water. Place quinoa with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet and let rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Assemble the Bowl: Divide the cooked quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, avocado slices, and crumbled feta cheese if using.
- Dress and Garnish: Drizzle the dressing over each bowl and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Vegetable broth can be used instead of water for more flavorful quinoa.
- Feta cheese is optional but adds a nice tangy contrast.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey to keep the recipe vegan-friendly.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
