Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Name: Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 cups of water; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces); kosher salt; ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup pesto; toppings of your choice; grated cheese

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This Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl is filled with buttery quinoa, juicy roasted chicken, and fresh herby pesto.

Have dinner ready in about 30 minutes and easily customize this quinoa bowl by adding your favorite toppings.

Love dinner in a bowl? Try this Crustless Pizza Bowl.

Pesto, chicken, and quinoa in a black bowl topped with pickled red onions, sun dried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.

This quinoa power bowl is similar to the one you can order at the popular brunch spot, First Watch.

Love pesto? Try one of these recipes: Pesto Pasta with Shrimp, Shrimp Pesto Flatbread Pizza, and Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells.

Looking for more ways to serve pesto? Check out this post about The Best Pasta to Serve with Pesto.

Do you hate basil? Try one of these Substitutes for Basil in Pesto.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Topping Ideas
Step by Step Directions
Make-Ahead Directions & Storage
Recipe FAQs
Expert Tips
Easy Summer Recipes
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Why You Will Love This Recipe

This Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl is easy to throw together with whatever you have in the fridge.
You can have dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.
They are also easy to customize. Change the flavor of the bowl by switching out for different ingredients in this easy recipe.
Quinoa bowls make a delicious complete meal for lunch or dinner and are perfect for meal prep.

Love easy chicken recipes? Try this Chicken Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs, Buffalo Chicken Flatbread, Sage Chicken Meatballs, Baked Sourdough Chicken Tenders, and Sheet Pan Chicken with Zucchini.

Recipe Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make these simple Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl.

Chicken pesto quinoa bowl ingredients on a dark surface.

Chicken Breast: During the cold winter months I prefer to saute chopped chicken breast in a skillet on the stove. But as soon as the weather warms up I love to grill whole chicken breasts and then cut them into bite-sized pieces before serving.

Pesto: You can make your own pesto or use store-bought traditional basil pesto, whichever is easiest for you. If you do want to use homemade pesto I love this Spinach Pesto.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

Quinoa: Feel free to use packaged pre-cooked quinoa or prepare your own. You can also substitute other whole grains like rice, pasta, couscous, and other grains in place of quinoa.

Chicken: No chicken breasts? Go ahead and use chicken thighs. Want to make this dish really easy? Use shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken

Cheese: My favorite is shredded parmesan cheese but you could also use feta cheese, mozzarella, gruyere, or your favorite cheese.

Topping Ideas

Roasted Vegetables: Some of my favorites include broccoli, carrots, asparagus, radishes, bell peppers, cauliflower, summer squash, and onions.
Marinated Artichokes
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Roasted Red Peppers
Pickled Red Onion
Tzatziki Dressing
Fresh Tomatoes
Green Onions
Avacado
Shredded Cabbage
Dried Fruit
Nuts and Seeds
Beans
Chickpeas
Fresh Herbs - Try adding fresh basil, parsley, oregano, or thyme.
Italian Seasoning
Greens: Try adding bright green spinach, chopped and massaged kale, or a mixed green salad.

Step by Step Directions

Step 1: Rinse the quinoa under cool running water. You will need a fine mesh strainer because a standard strainer's holes are too big.

Step 2: Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa and saute for a few minutes until it begins to smell toasty. Add the water and salt and let it come to a rolling boil.

Step 3: Reduce the heat to just high enough to maintain a simmer. Let the quinoa simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.

Remove from the heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, season with salt and black pepper, and set aside.

Tip: For additional flavor, substitute chicken broth for the water when cooking the quinoa.

Raw chicken breast cut into small pieces.

Step 3: While the quinoa is simmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat.

Step 4: Once the oil is hot add the chicken in a single layer and saute for 6-8 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time, until the chicken is fully cooked.

Tip: To turn this into a super quick dinner use rotisserie chicken, precooked quinoa, and jarred pesto.

Pesto, chicken, and quinoa in a white bowl.

Step 5: Add the quinoa followed by the chicken to a large bowl. Drizzle with pesto.

Finish with your favorite toppings and grated cheese.

Make-Ahead Directions & Storage

This is a great recipe to make ahead. It can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can either reheat before serving or serve cold.

To Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Like many grain bowls, I think this recipe tastes even better the next day once all of the flavors have had a chance to meld together.

Recipe FAQs

What is a quinoa bowl?

Quinoa bowls are a great way to turn spare ingredients into a delicious meal. Quinoa bowls start with a base of quinoa and are topped with a variety of different ingredients.

What does quinoa taste like?

Quinoa is an ancient grain that tastes like hearty nutty earth rice.

What is the difference between different types of quinoa?

There are three main types of quinoa; white quinoa, red quinoa, and black quinoa.

White quinoa is the most common. It has a delicate flavor and a light texture. It tends to cook up fluffier than other colors of quinoa.

Red quinoa has a richer heartier flavor and is slightly chewier than white quinoa.

Black quinoa has a heartier slightly sweet flavor.

Why do you have to rinse quinoa?

Quinoa is coated in a naturally occurring insecticide called saponin. Saponin can give the grain a bitter taste. A quick rinse under cold water will help to remove this bitter flavor.

How do you know when quinoa is done?

Once cooked quinoa will soften but still have a little bit of chew. As it cooks and softens the quinoa's endosperm releases from the seed making it look like it has a tail.

Are quinoa bowls served hot or cold?

The answer is both. Quinoa bowls can be served hot, cold, or anywhere in between.

Expert Tips

For additional flavor, substitute chicken broth for the water when cooking the quinoa.
To turn this into a super quick dinner, use rotisserie chicken, precooked quinoa, and jarred pesto.
If you have picky eaters in your house, try serving the topping separately so that everyone can decide what they want to top their quinoa bowl with.

Easy Summer Recipes

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