Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl Recipe

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 recipe.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

• This chicken pesto quinoa bowl is full of nutrition and easy to throw together with whatever you have in the fridge.
• 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 Greek chicken marinade.

Ingredients

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

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.

Want to make this dish really easy? Use shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken

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.

Toppings: Here is where you get to be creative. Top your quinoa bowl with your favorite roasted vegetables like grape or cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.

I love adding pickled vegetables like red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and artichokes. Sundried tomatoes also make a delicious addition.

Cheese: Finally top the quinoa bowl with some shredded cheese, because cheese always makes everything taste better. My favorite is shredded parmesan cheese but you could also use feta cheese, mozzarella, gruyere, or your favorite cheese.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Directions

Cook the Quinoa

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

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.

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.

Saute Chicken

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

Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the chicken in a single layer and saute for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.

To Assemble the Bowls

Add the quinoa followed by the chicken to a large bowl.

Drizzle with pesto.

Finish with your favorite toppings and grated cheese.

Toppings

• 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.

Make-Ahead Directions

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.

Storage

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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Easy Summer Recipes

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Print

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

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Quinoa

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups of water
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• salt and pepper

Chicken

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast - cut into bite-sized pieces

Toppings

• 1 cup pesto
• toppings of your choice
• grated cheese

Instructions

Cook the Quinoa

1. Rinse the quinoa under cool running water. You will need a fine mesh strainer because a standard strainer's holes are too big.
2. Melt the butter in a large 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.
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.
4. 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.

Saute the Chicken

1. While the quinoa is simmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the chicken and saute for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.

To Assemble the Bowls

1. Add the quinoa followed by the chicken to a large bowl.
2. Drizzle with pesto.
3. Finish with your favorite toppings and grated cheese.

Notes

Make-Ahead Directions

The base recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can either reheat before serving or serve cold.

Storage

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

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.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 892Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 37gCholesterol: 230mgSodium: 889mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 81g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from an online calculator. Although raspberriesandkohlrabi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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