This Chicken Quinoa Bowl is a healthy alternative to rice bowls and a great, protein packed dinner option!
Disclosure: This Chicken Quinoa Bowl shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Mazola® Corn Oil. All opinions are mine alone. #SimpleSwap #CollectiveBias
Since having kids, our life has been all “semicrunchyish”. It’s where we are working to make small changes one at a time to live a better and healthier life. This lifestyle is also teaching our children to make healthier choices from the start. One easy swap we made was to stop deep frying things and using butter so often. When cooking chicken like in this chicken quinoa bowl, we use an oil, like Mazola® Corn Oil, for grilling indoors. You only need a small amount. A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com.
Another easy swap came a few years ago when Larisha told me she was making quinoa for dinner. Keen-What? She was all, “Don’t worry, it’s fine.” Whenever she says that, I know to worry. Dinner is usually going to end up being eggs or a smoothie because she’s experimenting and well, I don’t like experiments. Surprisingly, this “keen-wha” turned out delicious.
We’ve been eating quinoa for awhile now since then and we actually prefer it to other starches. It was one of the first changes that we made to living a less indulgent life and it’s completely stuck with us. What we’ve found works best is to make small changes and swaps one by one instead of drastic shifts. This helps to get used to things gradually instead of suddenly so much and it becoming overwhelming.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Quinoa?
One of the reasons we love this chicken quinoa bowl we’re sharing with you today is because you can cook it fast. Traditionally, rice takes upwards of 40 minutes. However, quinoa can be ready in as little as 15 minutes. You always want to rinse quinoa to remove the coating. The coating can make quinoa taste soapy or sometimes bitter depending on your taste buds and no one wants that. Then, you have two options:
- Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa to 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Then, let cook for 15-20 minutes (until no liquid is remaining).
- Our preferred method is to toast the quinoa and add some flavor. Using a bit of oil, like Mazola Corn Oil, sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add in the rinsed quinoa and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Then, add chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. And let cook for 15-20 minutes (until no liquid is remaining).
Chicken Quinoa Bowl
This recipe is a great way to make a better-for-you dish this New Year. Perfectly cooked quinoa is topped with chicken seasoned and grilled in corn oil. Paired alongside are black beans, your favorite fresh slaw recipe, corn salsa, avocado, and cilantro. To top it off, a few fresh squeezes of lime juice to have the absolutely perfect dish. Quinoa boosts higher dietary fiber and protein than white or brown rice making it healthier for you. Using a low-sodium chicken broth to cook the quinoa adds in flavor with the added salt content. Additionally, cooking the chicken in a bit of corn oil versus butter or another fat and grilling instead of frying yields a healthier meal all around.
- 2 tbsp Mazola® Corn Oil divided
- 1/2 cup sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb chicken breasts cubed or small slices
- 1 tbsp chicken rub seasoning
- Optional Toppings: corn salsa fresh slaw, avocado slices, black beans, chopped red pepper, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lime wedges, corn vinaigrette or dressing
- In a sauce pan, add 1 tbsp corn oil on medium heat.
- Add in the onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add in the rinsed quinoa and stir constantly to toast for 2 more minutes.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Add lid and reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes until no cooking liquid remains.
- While quinoa is cooking, season cut chicken breasts with chicken rub seasoning.
- In a grill pan, heat remaining tbsp of corn oil on medium heat.
- Add chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165.
- First layer quinoa on the bottom of your bowl.
- Then, add your chicken.
- Next, add your desired toppings. In the photos shown, we used a fresh broccoli slaw, corn salsa, black beans, cilantro, avocado slices, and topped with lime juice and a sweet corn vinaigrette.
Mazola® Corn Oil can be found nationwide. It’s made of 100% pure oil with no additives. It’s also cholesterol free making it better-for-you. One of the best things about using a cooking oil is that its smoke point is 450°F. This mean that it’s great for high heat applications like stir-fry or sautéing. The 40 oz. bottle can be found in most major grocery stores, so head to your local store and grab a bottle today.
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Ushmana says
February 22, 2018 at 1:17 pmThis quinoa bowl looks like such a hearty meal with the rice! Such a perfect blend of ingredients, especially love the avocado and black beans topping! Thanks for the recipe! All the love from Nepal xoxo