Recipe: Tex-Mex Chicken and Veggie Bowl

Grilled chicken, corn, and quinoa combine for a tasty and nutritious meal with a Tex-Mex kick. This recipe is great for serving family style. It’s also a terrific meal-prep option: just divide into 6 individual containers for lunch or dinner portions.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: approximately 10 minutes
Total time: approximately 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Makes: 6 bowls
Serving size: approximately 1 ½ cups

Ingredients

For the Tex-Mex seasoning:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• ½ tablespoon ground oregano
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper

For the bowl:

• 1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breast
• 2 ears fresh corn, shucked
• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (or other whole grain)
• ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 bell peppers (red, yellow, or a mix—your choice), seeded, and sliced lengthwise
• 2 jalapeno or poblano peppers, seeded, membrane removed, and sliced lengthwise (optional)
• 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (red, yellow, or a mix—your choice)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 avocado, sliced

For serving:

• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves

Instructions

For the Tex-Mex seasoning:

In a small bowl, combine all of the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.

For the bowl:

Preheat grill to high heat. Clean and oil the grates. Sprinkle approximately one tablespoon Tex-Mex seasoning generously on corn and chicken (all sides). Place corn and chicken on grill. Reduce heat to medium high. Grill corn for approximately five minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Grill chicken, turning once, until it reaches an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees F, as measured in the center of the thickest part of the breast—timing will vary depending on the thickness of the breasts. Remove from heat. (Chicken will continue to rise in temperature once removed from the grill to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.) Allow chicken and corn to cool.

Meanwhile, make a quick dressing with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon Tex-Mex seasoning. Toss with lettuce in a large shallow serving bowl. In another bowl, combine prepared quinoa, black beans, and ½ teaspoon of seasoning. Top lettuce with bean and quinoa mixture. Add peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, onion, and avocado.

Cut the chicken into cubes and slice the corn off the cobs. Add the chicken and corn to the bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges.

MOBE kitchen tip:

• To cut the corn off the cob, hold the corn up vertically on a cutting board, pointed end up. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the kernels off the cob from top to bottom, rotating the corn until all the kernels have been removed.

Recipe notes:

• To save time, you can use pre-shredded red cabbage and pre-chopped romaine.
• Feel free to omit the jalapeño, if desired. We have removed the seeds and membrane (which give the pepper its heat), so the bowls have just a touch of heat. If you prefer more heat, keep the seeds and membrane in the recipe.
• Adjust the amount of seasoning used on the chicken and corn to your preference.
• Feel free to swap any of your favorite grains, proteins, or veggies to customize this bowl. For example, brown rice or farro for the quinoa; shrimp, tofu, or brisket for the chicken; or broccoli and cauliflower for the peppers. Check out our Mix and Match Bowl recipe for more inspiration.
• This recipe works well to serve a crowd for lunch or dinner family style, so everyone can choose how much or as little of each ingredient they’d like. It’s also a great for meal prep—just skip the step of tossing the lettuce in olive oil and seasoning, divide into six containers with lids, and refrigerate. Bowls will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Store any leftover seasoning in an airtight container in your spice drawer for up to 6 months. Use it for fajitas, for taco night, or any other Tex-Mex-inspired dish.

Nutrition facts per serving:

Calories: 310 / Total Fat: 11g (14% DV) / Saturated Fat: 2g (10% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 80mg (27% DV) / Sodium: 730mg ( 32% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 28g (10% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 9g (32% DV) / Total Sugars: 5g / Added Sugar: 0g (0% DV) / Protein: 30g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 78mg (6% DV) / Iron: 3mg (15% DV) / Potassium: 773mg (15% DV)

Allergen statement: n/a.

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