Key West Chicken Bowls with Lemon Quinoa
For a long time in my life, I was on the fence about one bowl meals (I know, it’s a strange thing to be on the fence about.)
I think I struggled with the semantics of it.
In my world a bowl is what you eat out of, it’s not the meal itself.
A strawberry breakfast bowl, is a strawberry smoothie served in a bowl.
Same goes for a veggie bowl. Why do you call it like that when it’s clearly a salad served in a bowl?
I love eating out of bowls, but that didn’t make the food I eat a “bowl”.
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I thought this “bowl meal” thing was just some name trend on the way out...but instead it stayed.
And I got used to it, and I started using it, and soon you’ll be too — it's like the plague, it spreads.
Now? Now I can’t get enough of bowls.
I'm totally a bowl person. I’m pro-bowl and also a bit super-bowl.
Rice bowls, noodle bowls, meat bowls (no pun intended) — you name it, I probably love it.
It’s a simple equation: a hearty base, some protein, followed by a lot of vegetables, and a good dressing (or sauce).
One thing I love about bowls is the ability to change it up if you change your mind after mixing everything together. Not spicy enough? Add a bit of Sriracha. Want more tang? Squeeze a shot of lemon on it.
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What about this particular bowl?
Let's start by saying that I always have quinoa cooked and stored in the fridge for use throughout the week; same goes with chicken and veggies. Which makes this meal super easy to throw together.
And I love me a good bowl meal packed with nutrition and flavor.
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These Key West Chicken Bowls with Lemon Quinoa are exactly the kind of wholesome lunch that I'd look forward to all morning, then feel energized throughout the afternoon after polishing off.
A tasty combination of flavors you’ll never get bored of.
So what are you waiting for? Get on bowl! (pun intended!)
Inspired by HowSweetEats
Ingredients
Serves 4
Key West Chicken
2 large chicken breasts, skinned
3 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
2 tablespoons raw organic honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce (make your own Sriracha with this recipe)
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Lemon Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups / 500 ml water
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted (or olive oil)
Juice and zest of one lemon
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad
6 cups / 3.5 oz / 100 gr spring greens
1 cup / 5.3 oz / 150 gr cherry tomatoes, halved
2 handfuls torn fresh basil leaves
1 avocado, sliced
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Directions
Key West Chicken
In a blender, combine soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
In a shallow sealable container or in a large Ziploc bag, combine chicken breasts and marinade. Cover or seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (marinate overnight for fullest flavor).
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in a baking pan or roasting pan.
Bake chicken breasts, uncovered, for 18 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink (or until the temperature registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.)
Once cooked, transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Slice and set aside
Lemon Quinoa
Place quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse thoroughly with cool water for about 2 minutes. Rub and swish the quinoa with your hand while rinsing. Drain.
Heat a splash of olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the drained quinoa. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, letting the water evaporate.
Add 2 cups of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a rolling boil, lower to a simmer (turn heat down to the lowest setting), cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 more minutes, covered.
Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork (you should see tiny spirals separating from and curling around the quinoa seeds.)
Stir in the coconut oil (or olive oil), lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.
Salads
To make the salads, add the greens in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the chicken on top along with the quinoa, tomatoes, basil, and avocado.
Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and serve!
Nutrition facts
One serving yields 507 calories, 20 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of protein.
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