Chicken Quinoa Bowl
This easy and nutritious Chicken Quinoa Bowl is loaded with cilantro-lime quinoa, juicy marinated chicken, and a fresh mango-black bean salsa—flavor in every bite!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $10.64
Ingredients
Chicken (See Note 1)
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds
- 3/4 cup lemon-lime soda such as Sprite, not diet soda
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 lime
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken broth can use water
- 1/4 cup diced cilantro
Mango Salsa
- 1/2 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1/2 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup red pepper diced
- 2 ripe honey (Ataulfo) mangoes peeled and diced, or 1 large mango
- 3 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
- 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- Optional toppings see note 1
Instructions
- Halve large chicken breasts, cover with plastic wrap (to avoid splatter), and pound to even thickness using a meat mallet or frying pan—no need to flatten, just even it out. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Place in a large zipper-top bag. Combine lemon-lime soda, olive oil, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, garlic powder, honey, and salt. Stir together and pour the marinade into the bag, reserving 1/2 cup of the marinade. Knead chicken to ensure it’s well covered. Let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes up to 6 hours; avoid longer than this as the acid from the marinade will start to dry out the chicken.
- Preheat grill to medium heat (400°F). Remove chicken from the marinade and discard any remaining marinade. Prepare grill by cleaning, then generously oil the grill (I drench a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates). Heat grill to 400°F. Add chicken to the grill. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side or until it registers 160°F (carryover heat will take it to the safe temperature of 165°F). Remove grilled chicken to a plate and cover with foil. While grilling, brush most of the reserved marinade over the chicken. Leave 3 tablespoons marinade to dress the chicken once it’s grilled.
- Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Add quinoa and chicken broth and salt to a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 10–15 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat, and keeping the pot covered, let quinoa stand and steam for 10–15 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork. If desired, add some fresh lime juice to taste (1–2 tablespoons) and diced cilantro.
- Place thawed corn, drained and rinsed black beans, finely diced red onion, finely diced red pepper, diced mangoes, finely chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, olive oil, diced jalapeño, and cumin in a large bowl. Salt and pepper the salsa to taste. Stir the salsa, then taste and adjust any flavors to personal preference.
- Divide the quinoa evenly onto 4 plates. Chop or thinly slice the chicken and add on top. Drizzle reserved 3 tablespoons marinade over the chicken. Divide salsa evenly onto plates. Optionally, garnish with cilantro and sliced avocado. Squeeze a wedge of fresh lime over the dish.
Notes
Note 1: Optional toppings: Extra cilantro, an avocado, and squeeze of fresh lime.
Note 2: The marinade is separated into 3 parts: one part for marinating, one for basting while cooking, and one for drizzling at the end as a sort of dressing.
Storage: Store leftovers in separate airtight containers: chicken, quinoa, and salsa each on their own. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat chicken and quinoa before serving; add salsa fresh.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 36.4g | Fat: 20.8g | Cholesterol: 91.3mg | Sodium: 597.9mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 31g