Chicken & Quinoa Bowl

4.99 from 289 votes

Chicken and Quinoa Bowl is an easy weeknight dinner that you can throw together with leftover quinoa, chicken, any vegetables and nuts - hearty and healthy!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Here’s a new favorite go-to recipe: Chicken and Quinoa Bowl. It’s as simple as it gets. I always have quinoa and chicken on hand and then I literally just throw whatever veggies and seasonings I have that day. This combination of chicken and quinoa with kale and tomatoes is definitely a winner.

A Chicken and Quinoa Bowl ready to eat
Want to save this recipe?
Just type your email below and I’ll send it to you. And as a bonus you’ll get delicious new recipes from me!

If you’re not already eating quinoa, start trying to incorporate it in your diet at least 2-3 times a month where you would normally have rice. Quinoa looks like a grain so it kinda fools our bodies to believe we’re eating a grain, but it’s actually a seed and it’s one of the most protein-rich foods, containing all 9 essential amino acids. If that doesn’t make you keen for quinoa, I dunno what will!

RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL

How do you make chicken and quinoa bowl

Cook the quinoa

Place the quinoa and water in a pot, bring to a boil and then simmer. Remove from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. And if you’d like more details, check out my step-by-step tutorial on how to cook quinoa.

Cooking the quinoa in a pan

Cook the chicken

Coat the chicken all over with the seasoning mixture. You can use a large bowl to mix the spices or a ziplock bag. If you have time, let the chicken marinate in the seasoning for at least 30 minutes.

marinading the chicken

Cook the chicken in a skillet on both sides until cooked through. Let it rest before slicing it for best results.

cooking the chicken in a skillet

Cook any side vegetables

In the same skillet you used to cook the chicken, sauté the kale until softened. Remove the kale and sauté the tomatoes in that same skillet. You can repeat this with whatever vegetables you’re using.

Cooking the kale and tomatoes in a skillet

Assemble the chicken and quinoa bowls by dividing the quinoa, chicken, kale, tomatoes and almonds between four bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Tips to make the quinoa bowl

  1. Make the perfect quinoa for this chicken bowl by using the tips in my how to cook quinoa post. You can make it extra flavorful by cooking it with chicken broth, or toasting the quinoa before cooking cooking.
  2. Save on time by buying pre-cooked quinoa that you can quickly and easily add to the bowl. You can also meal prep 2 cups of quinoa at the beginning of the week to have on hand for recipes.
  3. Add in other vegetables. This bowl is really versatile and is a great way to use up bits and pieces in your fridge. Try adding in cooked spinach, red bell pepper or mushrooms.
  4. Don’t over cook the chicken. If you have an instant read thermometer, it should register at 165F. Be sure to let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing it so that the juices redistribute.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best chicken to use?

I like to use either skinless and boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders for this recipe. You can also make it with chicken thighs, but they will require a slightly longer cooking time.

Can you make the bowl ahead of time?

You can make elements of this bowl ahead of time. The vegetables should be cooked just before serving, but you can cook the quinoa up to 5 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. The chicken can also be cooked and kept in the same way for up to 3 days.

Chicken and Quinoa Bowl served with a fork

I love how quick and easy it is to make these loaded quinoa bowls! The chicken is so full of flavor and it’s so adaptable so you ca add in all kinds of veggies! It’s so perfect for a lunch or easy weeknight meal.

More similar bowl recipes

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Chicken and Quinoa Bowl recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

pre-order the book

The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook is available in the US and Canada everywhere books are sold. It is also available for international shipping to other countries.

Chicken and Quinoa Bowl

Chicken and Quinoa Bowl is an easy weeknight dinner that you can throw together with leftover quinoa, chicken, any vegetables and nuts – hearty and healthy!
5 from 289 votes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 447
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Place quinoa in a small saucepan and add 2 ¼ cup water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the quinoa to rest in the saucepan for about 5 minutes, without opening the lid, to absorb all the liquid and steam. Uncover and fluff with a fork to separate the quinoa.
  • In a shallow bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon olive oil along with the paprika, turmeric, coriander, onion powder, salt and pepper. Add chicken to the bowl and coat in the seasoning mixture.
  • In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Transfer the chicken to the skillet and cook until the juices run clear, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow it to cool, then slice each breast into strips.
  • In the same skillet used to cook the chicken, add the kale and cook on medium-high heat until softened and charred, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. You may have to cook in batches. Set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the cherry tomatoes and cook on medium-high heat until softened and charred, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
  • Assemble the chicken and quinoa bowls by dividing the quinoa, chicken, kale, tomatoes and almonds between four bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 346mg, Potassium: 1205mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 10742IU, Vitamin C: 148mg, Calcium: 229mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Main Course

Rate and comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. We really really liked this!! Wasn’t super time consuming and it truly was super flavorful! I used my cast iron skillet for the chicken and veg!
    We used spinach instead of kale, and I am glad the recipe had toasted almonds because that crunch was awesome!!

  2. Excellent! I used red bell pepper and baby spinach in addition to the cherry tomatoes. Thanks for the recipe!

  3. 3-4 minutes on each side for chicken breast is not enough to cook through in my experience. I followed this and chicken came out undercooked, had to throw it back in the pan.

    1. Sorry I used chicken tenders for this recipe which does take about 3-4 minutes per side. But my ingredients list chicken breast or chicken tenders, which does make a difference in the cook time. I changed the ingredient to be just chicken tenders to match the photos and the expected cook time. Sorry for any confusion.

See All Comments