How to Make a Thai Chicken Quinoa Bowl

 

I recently had a huge craving for the I AM MUCHO bowl from the popular Los Angeles vegan restaurant Cafe Gratitude. But rather than go to the restaurant to get one, I decided to be adventurous and make my own. As I researched "quinoa bowl recipes," I came across a few delicious ideas, but the one that caught my eye the most was this Thai Chicken Quinoa Bowl recipe from Hatchery.

Because I'm a rebel, here's my version.

For the chicken:

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 2 tbsp store-bought red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste (see above) because it was sugar-free)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I made sure it was antibiotic-free...more on that later)
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Cut the chicken up into small bite-size pieces. Mix all the ingredients besides the chicken together in a bowl to create a marinade. Place the chicken and marinade in a large ziplock bag. The original recipe says to let it marinate for 30 minutes, but I let it marinate overnight. Hey, I like my chicken extra flavorful! Once it's been marinaded to your preference, pour the chicken and marinade into a hot pan and cook until done.

For the quinoa...

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup organic quinoa

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. I usually rinse it at least four times. Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker, turn it on, and let it work it's magic. I honestly think a rice cooker is the best way to cook quinoa.

Note: the chicken and quinoa recipe makes at least 4 servings, possibly more depending on how you put your bowl together.

For the toppings on each bowl:

• 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 jalapeño, sliced
• 1/4 cup broccoli slaw (a mix of broccoli and carrots purchased from Trader Joe's)
• 1/2 zucchini, spiraled and lightly sautéed in chicken marinade
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp jalapeño-infused avocado oil (optional)

To assemble each bowl, put 1/4-1/3 cup of cooked, still-hot quinoa into the bottom of the bowl. Mix the spinach in to let it wilt slightly. Add a layer of the cooked zucchini. Add a 1/2 cup of cooked chicken and a couple spoonfuls of the sauce. Next, add the broccoli slaw, followed by the avocado, jalapeño, and cilantro. Finally, I squeezed half a lime over the top and drizzled a little bit of a jalapeño-infused avocado oil I got from the farmers market (see above) over the top.

The result was absolutely delicious and I have so much leftover that I can make it for lunch a few times this week. If I did my calculations correctly, it's about 460 calories per serving. Of course, that all depends on how much of each ingredient you put in.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments!