Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Who knew a high school foods class could produce one of your favorite dinners?
Sadly, I can’t give proper credit to the original creator of this meal because it truly came from a foods class! My brother-in-law made this for us one day, and it quickly became a regular in our family.
The combination of flavors is so delicious. You have flavorful chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy quinoa, fresh toppings, and the most amazing creamy aji verde sauce. It feels fresh and healthy while still being filling enough to make a satisfying dinner.
This recipe makes about 4 servings, which is perfect for my husband and me to have plenty for dinner with some leftovers for the next day!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: About 4
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I usually use chicken tenderloins)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (I usually use olive oil)
Quinoa
- ¾ cup dry quinoa, rinsed
- 1½ cups chicken broth
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon preferred cooking oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Aji Verde
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 whole jalapeño
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (stems are okay!)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Optional Toppings
- Lettuce, spring mix, or arugula
- Avocado
- Pickled onions
Directions
1. Marinate the Chicken
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl or gallon-sized bag. Add the chicken and let it sit in the marinade while you prepare the other parts of the meal.
2. Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them onto a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned.
3. Cook the Quinoa
Rinse the quinoa using a fine mesh strainer.
Add the quinoa and chicken broth to a pot and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.
4. Cook the Chicken
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
You can leave the chicken in larger pieces or cut it into smaller pieces before cooking—both work great!
5. Make the Aji Verde
Add all of the aji verde ingredients to a blender. Blend until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and beautifully green.
6. Build Your Bowl
Now for the best part!
Add quinoa, sweet potatoes, chicken, and any toppings you love to your bowl. Finish it off with a generous drizzle of aji verde and enjoy!
Tips for Making These Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Meal prep if you can! I like to prepare the marinade and add the chicken earlier in the day. Then I just let it sit in the fridge until I’m ready to start dinner.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, work on the quinoa and aji verde sauce. Once those are finished, you can quickly cook the chicken, and your sweet potatoes should be ready around the same time!
Even though this recipe has a few different moving parts, I promise it is worth it. Everything comes together so well, and it feels like a fresh and healthy meal without being boring.
You can also easily make this recipe your own by switching up the toppings. We recently added pickled onions, and honestly, I don’t think I can ever go back!
Give these chicken quinoa bowls a try and make them your own!
xo,
Faith
