Description
A fast, build-your-own lunch bowl featuring lemon-herb chicken, quinoa, fresh veggies, and a tangy tahini-yogurt dressing. Perfect for meal prep or a customizable weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), sliced thin
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (or long-grain rice)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (zest + juice)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 cups mixed salad greens or baby spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta (or goat cheese)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1–2 tbsp water to thin the dressing
Instructions
- Make the quinoa: Combine 1 cup rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then fluff.
- Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp olive oil, zest and juice of 1 lemon, minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss sliced chicken to coat and let rest for 10 minutes if time allows.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil and sear chicken slices for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C). Transfer to a plate and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together Greek yogurt, tahini, 1 tbsp lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and 1–2 tbsp water to reach drizzling consistency. Taste and adjust acidity or salt.
- Prep the vegetables: While the quinoa cooks, halve tomatoes, dice cucumber, and chop herbs.
- Assemble bowls: Start with a bed of quinoa, add greens, arrange chicken and veggies, sprinkle feta, and finish with a generous drizzle of the yogurt-tahini dressing.
Notes
Best served warm with cool veggies and dressing. Components can be packed separately for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Searing and Assembling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: chicken bowl, quinoa bowl, meal prep, healthy lunch