Easy, Healthy Dinner

If you’re a busy mom and searching for quick, healthy food options… check out this super easy, nutrient packed dinner!

The Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bowl is literally one of the easiest dinners to make. Plus, it is full of super foods and vitamins to get you through the rest of your busy day. The only ingredients requiring any sort of cooking are the chicken and quinoa. If you’re vegetarian / vegan, the chicken can easily be removed or replaced with your substitute of choice.

In just four simple steps, and about 20 minutes, you’ll be enjoying a delicious, well balanced meal.

Step 1: Cook The Chicken

Use your preferred method to cook the chicken. This can be done in various ways including the BBQ, oven or stove top. I personally tend to use the stove top most often because I can watch it while preparing the remaining ingredients.

If cooking on the stove, you can use different types of cooking oils – extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc… – or, if you’re like me and try to cut down on added fats, just use a thin layer of water in the bottom of the pan.

Cook on medium heat. Drizzle some Frank’s Red Hot sauce on top. Flip the chicken over about halfway through, add some more Frank’s sauce. Continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked.

Step 2: Cook The Quinoa

One of the best purchases I’ve ever made was a personal size rice cooker. They cook about 3-4 cups of rice at a time, which is perfect for a small dinner. It is also a fantastic way to cook quinoa.

The ratio for quinoa is 1 cup of uncooked quinoa to 2 cups of water. Add both the quinoa and water to the rice cooker, stir. Push the button to cook and forget about it until you’re ready to serve.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, quinoa can also be cooked on the stove. Just bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, and stir. Then reduce the heat to low and cover for about 15-20 minutes, or until the water has absorbed.

Step 3: Cut The Veggies

While the chicken and quinoa are cooking, the remaining ingredients can be prepped. Chop up the onion, tomato, jalapeno and lettuce into pieces. Remove the stems from the cilantro. Cut the avocado into slices.

Here’s where you can get creative and add as many or as few ingredients as you’d like. I’m in love with super foods, so I add avocado to just about everything. For extra protein, I add black beans as well. For additional vitamins and flavor, I included red onion, tomato, jalapeno, romaine lettuce, black olives and cilantro. Really, you can use whatever your favorite veggies are.

Step 4: Serve

Once the chicken and quinoa are fully cooked, you’re ready to eat! I like to put quinoa on one side of my bowl and the romaine on the other side to make a nice base for the rest of your toppings.

Place your freshly cut veggies on top, then add your chicken. Garnish with cilantro and a cheese of your choice if you desire. I alternate between a shredded cheddar and feta – this time I used feta.

If you like a little extra flavor, you can drizzle some ranch dressing over the top for a little something extra.

Enjoy!

I hope you love this dinner as much as I do. As a full time working mom, it can be a challenge to prepare delicious, healthy dinners that the whole family will love. This recipe has become one of my staples because it is super quick, easy and is always a winner – even with my 3 year old (I leave off the buffalo sauce and jalapenos for her).

– Mama of Roses –

Ingredients – Serves about 4

1 lb – Chicken Breast or Tenderloins

1/2 C – Franks Red Hot Sauce

1 1/2 C – Quinoa

1 – Avocado

1 – Tomato

1/4 – Red Onion

1 – Head of Romaine Lettuce

1 – Jalapeno

1/4 C – Cilantro

1 – Can of Black Beans

1 – Small Can Sliced Black Olives

1/2 C – Cheese of Choice (Shredded Cheddar or Feta)

Drizzle of Ranch (if desired)