Chicken Taco Quinoa Bowl

There’s a meme going around. Some kid asks to go to McDonald’s and the mother’s reply is always, “we got food at home.” Sadly, the joke in the meme is often a picture of some awful meal composed of highly processed, packaged food prepared in the most unappetizing way. In other words, the food at home was no healthier than the McDonald’s. But now that we’re the parents, or at least the adults, we can take a lot more ownership of that meal at home and load up or fridge and pantry with fresh and flavorful foods that make affordable home cooking a treat. Let’s flip that meme and see it as a responsible way to budget; like this guy:

Once I got a job I realized that my mother was right, I do have food at home

— SPAWN (@ArchivalWisdom) June 6, 2019

This recipe for a Chicken Taco Quinoa Bowl is exactly what you’ll want to return home to eat. And the best part is, it’s extremely easy to make.

I’ve divided this recipe into 3 separate parts because I think it’s important to see how flexible and interchangeable each of these components is. The taco seasoning is a meal planning dream – you can mix up a big batch of it for meat, poultry and vegetables. The taco-spiced roasted chicken thighs are delicious with salad, in tortilla, and over rice and beans in endless meal prep possibilities. The quinoa bowl is really what you make of it; taking on any flavors you throw at it to use up the little bits of vegetables you already have in your fridge from other recipes.

Seriously, yum. And so Instagrammable!

I hope you enjoy these recipes and that they inspire you to get a little more happiness knowing that you have food at home.

I’ve tested this recipe for taco seasoning with chicken, pork and eggplant and it’s absolutely delicious with everything.

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Taco Seasoning

Versatile taco seasoning that tastes great with chicken, pork and vegetables. Use 1 recipe per pound.

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Powder

Instructions

• Mix spices together in a small bowl.
• Recipe yields enough for 1 pound of chicken, pork or vegetables at 1 3/4 Tbsp per pound. To increase yield, simply change the size of the measuring cup. Increasing from a teaspoon to a tablespoon will produce enough for 3 pounds.

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Taco-Spiced Roasted Chicken Thighs

Easy roasted chicken thighs with taco seasoning. Perfect for meal prep with a huge range of meal options.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Taco Seasoning as above
• 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil

Instructions

• Pat chicken thighs dry. Rub chicken thighs with taco spice and olive oil. Cover and rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature (optional).
• Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking pan with parchment, foil or a silicone mat and space out chicken thighs so none are touching. Roast for 20-25 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and no pink remains

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Chicken Taco Quinoa Bowl

Easily prepare a single serving of this delicious Chicken Taco Quinoa Bowl - a fresh recipe that answers what to make with what's in your fridge

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken Thigh cooked as above
• 1/2 cup cooked Quinoa
• 1 cup baby Spinach cut into large pieces
• 2 Radishes sliced and soaked in ice water
• 1/4 cup Carrot julienned
• 1/4 cup Pineapple or Cherry tomatoes diced
• 1/2 Avocado diced
• 2 sprigs Spring onion thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp Cilantro finely chopped
• 1/8 Lemon
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Arrange all of the ingredients in a large bowl, reserving olive oil for just before serving. Spritz lemon and drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.