Chicken Grain Bowl (Print Page)

Grilled chicken with quinoa, fresh vegetables, and zesty lemon dressing in a wholesome, protein-packed bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Grains

06 - 1 cup quinoa (or brown rice, farro, or barley)
07 - 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
10 - 1 cup shredded carrots
11 - 1 avocado, sliced
12 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
13 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens

→ Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tablespoons crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or mint)

# Directions:

01 - Rinse quinoa or grain of choice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring water or low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Add grains, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed, approximately 15 minutes for quinoa. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Preheat grill or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Grill or pan-sear for 5 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined and emulsified.
04 - Divide cooked grains evenly among four bowls. Layer each with baby spinach or mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrots, red onion, and avocado slices.
05 - Arrange sliced chicken on top of the vegetables in each bowl. Drizzle dressing evenly over each serving. Garnish with crumbled feta or goat cheese if desired, and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs.
06 - Serve immediately. For meal prep, store grain, protein, vegetable, and dressing components separately in airtight containers and assemble when ready to eat.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing alone is worth making this, a tangy little number that tastes like it came from a bottle with a French label but takes about ninety seconds to whisk together.
  • Every component stores beautifully on its own, which means you can prep everything on Sunday and assemble fresh bowls through Thursday without anything getting soggy or sad.
02 -
  • Do not skip resting the chicken after cooking because slicing immediately sends all the moisture straight onto your cutting board instead of into your bowl.
  • Rinsing quinoa is nonnegotiable unless you enjoy the taste of bitter disappointment disguised as a healthy grain.
  • The dressing will separate if it sits too long, so give it a quick whisk or shake before drizzling over leftover bowls.
03 -
  • Cook the quinoa in broth instead of water and you will never go back, it is the easiest flavor upgrade that costs almost nothing extra.
  • Let the dressed bowl sit for two minutes before eating because those few moments let everything mingle and the flavors deepen noticeably.

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