Heyyyy happy Monday everyone! This past weekend, I went out to visit the fam fam up in Anacortes and it was exactly what I needed. In my last post you may have noticed I was feeling some pretty serious Seattle winter blues. It was time to get out of town. Nothing like a quick weekend trip to a stunning island that's beautiful rain or shine! So after that mini vacay, it's time to get back to it. January is winding down so let's end on a high note: are you ready for some Healthy Chicken Quinoa Beet Bowls?!
Do you ever crave "clean" food? Like super healthy, some people call it "rabbit food" food? I definitely do. Especially after the past couple holiday months. But don't let the "healthy" stigma fool you. These chicken quinoa beet bowls are delish. To prove it to you, I handed my husband a bowl, and he ate the WHOLE thing!
I mean he still said the chicken was the best part but I'll take it. No quinoa or kale left in sight!
I honestly don't think I can get much healthier than this! Quinoa? Check. Laciento kale? Check. Red and golden beets? Check. Chicken for protein and a little herb gremolata for flavor? Done and done. Plus a few orange slices to add a little fun? Absolutely!
Also, I just love pretty, colorful food. LOOK at all the colors! Red and gold beets definitely help in that department. I will say, when I cooked said beets I'm such a perfectionist that I boiled them in two separate pots! Just to make sure the red beets didn't bleed into the gold beets.
Alight guys. Let's end this get fit, eat clean month with I'm pretty sure the healthiest yet still oh so delicious recipe I've ever made and call it good yah?? Healthy chicken quinoa beet bowls for the win!!!
Healthy Chicken Quinoa Beet Bowls
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
For the Salad
- ½ cup tricolor quinoa
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup roughly chopped laciento kale, packed
- 1 blood orange, rind and pith removed, thinly sliced
- 1 orange, rind and pith removed, thinly sliced
- 4 cooked beets* (I used two red and two gold), sliced into wedges
- 2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Extra virgin olive oil
For the Chicken Rub
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon parprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small pot, add quinoa, 1 cup of water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to medium low. Cook until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
- While quinoa is cooking, mix together chicken rub spices in a small bowl. Pat chicken breasts dry and sprinkle both sides liberally with rub mix.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until the temperature reaches 165°F, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let rest for five minutes before slicing.
- Using the same pan, add the sliced kale and cook for a minute or two over medium heat. Just enough to soften up the leaves a little bit and get a little flavor.
- Make the gremolata: Combine basil, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
- Assemble the bowls: Place quinoa, kale, beet wedges, and orange slices into two bowls. Top with sliced chicken. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with gremolata.
Notes
Unless you already have some leftover cooked beets, here's the easiest way ever to get your beets salad ready: Add beets to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the beets are soft enough to pierce with a fork but not soft enough to break apart, around 40 minutes. Run under cold water to stop the cooking. The peel will come off easily using your hands or a spoon!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cyndi says
My Greek grandmother would say this is "excellent good!" Fantastic recipe.