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Baja Chicken Bowl – Inspired by Panera’s Warm Grain Recipe

Whenever I am out and about and want to eat a warm, healthy lunch, I always turn to Panera Bread’s Baja Chicken Bowl.

This dish starts off with thin slices of chicken served over a bed of cilantro lime rice and quinoa. It is then topped with bean and corn salsa, salsa verde, diced avocado, and grape tomatoes. And then feta cheese and Greek Yogurt is garnished on top.

Baja Chicken Bowl prepared and ready to eat.

A delicious and healthy meal that will keep you feeling full for hours.

However, now that we are spending more time at home, I haven’t had a Baja Chicken Bowl in weeks. And I can’t get the craving for this light and refreshing meal out of my mind!

Therefore, I decided to take matters in my own hands and make this delicious recipe right in my own kitchen!

Baja Chicken Bowl Recipe

As stated above, this recipe is served over rice and quinoa. However, instead of cooking the rice and quinoa at the same time as the chicken, we make it ahead of time.

rice and quinoa
The base of the Baja Chicken Bowl is a mixture of two grains – cooked rice and quinoa.

Then all that is required is to reheat it when you are ready to serve your Baja Chicken Bowl.

To make the two grains follow the instructions on the back of the package. Or, if you have a pressure cooker, make it even easier on yourself and make Instant Pot White Rice and Instant Pot Quinoa.

Adobe seasoning
Slice the chicken breast into small strips and sprinkle with Adobe seasoning.

We always make extra and store in our refrigerator for an easy addition to any meal whenever we need one.

Next, it is time to cook your chicken. Cut a large chicken breast into small, bite size strips. Sprinkle with Adobe Seasoning or a seasoning of your choice.

Then cook in a hot skillet just until cooked through. Use a digital food thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reads 165°F.

baja chicken bowl chicken
Once the chicken is cooked through add it on top of the warm grains.

Assemble The Bowl

To arrange the Baja Chicken Bowl place the chicken on top of the heated rice/quinoa mixture. Then add the black bean and corn salsa, tomatoes and avocado to the bowl.

*You can purchase Black Bean and Corn Salsa in larger grocery stores. However, it is easy to make your own as well with cooked black beans, cooked corn, diced red onion, cumin, and cilantro.

Baja Chicken Bowl layers
Layer your bowl with the black bean and corn salsa, tomatoes and diced avocado. And for me you can never have too many red onions!

Top the rice bowl with Salsa Verde, Feta crumbs and Greek Yogurt.

Although, if you are like me and can’t eat dairy products, you can simply leave them out of the recipe. The Baja Chicken Bowl still tastes amazing!

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Baja Chicken Warm Grain Bowl

Baja Chicken Warm Grain Bowl

Adobe flavored slices of chicken breast served over a blend of rice and quinoa and then topped with black bean and corn salsa, grape tomatoes, fresh avocado, and flavored with salsa verde.

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken breast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning, or seasoning of choice
  • 2 cups brown rice and quinoa, cooked
  • 10 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • black bean & corn salsa
  • avocado, diced
  • 1/3 cup salsa verde
  • Optional Garnish
  • feta crumbles
  • plain greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. Slice chicken breasts into thin strips. Sprinkle with adobo seasoning and cook in a hot skillet with extra virgin olive oil until the internal temperature reads 165°F. Set aside.
  2. Heat cooked rice/quinoa mixture and divide evenly between two large plates.
  3. Divide the cooked chicken evenly on top of the rice/quinoa mixture.
  4. Add tomatoes, black bean & corn salsa and avocado to each bowl
  5. Top with salsa verde.
  6. If desired, add Feta Cheese Crumbles and/or Greek Yogurt. Serve Immediately

Notes

Recipe provided by Make Your Meals

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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