Grilled Chicken Quinoa Bowl

A nutrient-dense bowl packed with lean grilled chicken, fluffy quinoa, and roasted vegetables.

By Cressio Rinaldi

A good grain bowl is a lesson in contrast. You want something warm and savory (the chicken), something soft and sweet (roasted sweet potato), something with a bite (charred broccoli), a fluffy base (quinoa) and a creamy, tangy sauce to tie them together. This bowl has all five.

Nothing in it is difficult, but there are a few small steps that decide whether it tastes great or just healthy. Rinse the quinoa so it isn’t bitter. Give the vegetables room on the pan so they roast and don’t steam. Rest the chicken before slicing so it stays juicy.

It serves two with generous portions, and everything can be made ahead, so it is also a good recipe for lunches.

Read this first

1. Rinse the quinoa well. The coating on it tastes bitter.
2. Spread the vegetables in a single layer so they roast and don’t steam.
3. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing.

Prep time: 15 mins · Cook time: 25 mins · Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz each) Chicken breast
• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups Chicken broth
• 2 cups Broccoli florets
• 1 medium Sweet potato, cubed
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1/4 cup Lemon tahini dressing

Instructions

1. Rinse quinoa. Bring chicken broth to a boil, add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Look for: The grains look translucent, with small curled tails, and all the liquid is absorbed. Fluffy, not wet.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss broccoli and sweet potato with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes. Look for: Browned edges on the broccoli, and sweet potato that is tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Season chicken breasts. Heat remaining olive oil in a grill pan over medium heat. Cook chicken 6-7 minutes per side until 165°F internally. Look for: Grill marks on the chicken, and a thermometer reading 165 F in the thickest part.
4. Let chicken rest, then slice. Look for: Juices stay in the chicken when you slice it, and the slices are white and moist.
5. Assemble bowls with quinoa, roasted vegetables, and sliced chicken. Drizzle with lemon tahini dressing. Look for: A colorful bowl with every part separate, and a drizzle of creamy dressing.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 1040
• Fat: 40g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 77g
• Fiber: 11g
• Sugar: 5g
• Protein: 89g
• Sodium: 1210mg
• Cholesterol: 190mg

Notes

• Meal Prep: Great for meal prep — cook the quinoa, chicken, and vegetables ahead and store separately for up to 4 days, assembling just before eating.
• Dressing: Keep the lemon tahini dressing on the side until ready to eat so the quinoa doesn't turn soggy.
• Swap: No sweet potato? Regular potato or butternut squash roasts up just as well.

Cook It With Me

Cook the quinoa

Rinse the 1 cup of quinoa in a fine sieve under cold water for about 30 seconds, rubbing it gently. This washes off the natural coating, which tastes bitter and soapy. Bring the 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork.

Roast the vegetables

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss the 2 cups of broccoli florets and the cubed sweet potato with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt and pepper on a large baking sheet. Spread them out so nothing is crowded. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until the sweet potato is tender and the broccoli is charred at the edges.

Cook the chicken

While the vegetables roast, season the 2 chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. If one end is much thicker, pound it slightly so the breast is an even thickness. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a grill pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until it reaches 165 F in the center.

Rest and slice

Move the chicken to a board and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it against the grain.

Build the bowls

Divide the quinoa between two bowls. Add the roasted vegetables and the sliced chicken. Drizzle with the 1/4 cup of lemon tahini dressing and serve.

The Ingredients, One by One

Chicken breasts

Two 8 oz breasts are a generous portion. Pounding the thick end evens them out so the breast cooks evenly.

Quinoa

A seed that cooks like a grain. Rinsing removes saponins, a bitter coating. Cooked in broth instead of water, it picks up flavor.

Chicken broth

Two cups, so the quinoa cooks in flavor. Low-sodium broth is a good idea.

Broccoli and sweet potato

The pair of textures works well: sweet and soft, charred and firm. Cut the sweet potato into cubes about 3/4 inch wide so it cooks in the same time.

Olive oil

One tablespoon for the vegetables and one for the chicken.

Lemon tahini dressing

A creamy, nutty dressing with lemon. Store-bought is fine, or make your own from tahini, lemon juice, garlic and water. Stir it well, because tahini separates.

The Technique Behind It

Why rinse quinoa

Each seed is coated in saponins, which taste bitter. A quick rinse removes them.

Why single-layer roasting

Vegetables release steam as they cook. If they are piled up, the steam is trapped and they soften and turn pale. Space lets the steam escape and the edges brown.

Why you rest the chicken

Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat. Slicing right away sends them onto the board.

How Do You Know the Chicken Is Done?

Breast meat dries out quickly, so check it with a thermometer.

Check	What you see	Notes
Temperature	165 F at the thickest part	The USDA safe temperature for chicken.
Color	White inside, no pink	The simplest sign, but not as reliable.
Rest	5 minutes	The temperature rises a little as it rests.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Not rinsing the quinoa It tastes bitter.
• Crowding the baking sheet The vegetables steam and don’t brown.
• Skipping the rest The chicken dries out.
• Overcooking the chicken Pull it at 165 F, not above.
• Peeking at the quinoa Keep the lid on so steam stays in.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Quinoa is mushy	Too much liquid or overcooked	Use the ratio in the recipe and turn off the heat on time.
Quinoa is crunchy	Not enough time or liquid	Add a splash of broth and steam for 5 minutes.
Chicken is dry	Overcooked	Pound it evenly, and take it off at 165 F.
Vegetables are soft	Crowded pan	Use two pans.
Dressing is thick	Tahini thickens	Thin it with a splash of water or lemon juice.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Chicken breasts	Lean protein	Chicken thighs, salmon or tofu work.
Quinoa	Fluffy, protein-rich base	Brown rice, farro or couscous work.
Broccoli	Charred, green crunch	Brussels sprouts or green beans work.
Sweet potato	Sweet, soft	Butternut squash works.
Lemon tahini dressing	Creamy, tangy	Greek yogurt dressing or pesto work.
Chicken broth	Flavor for the grain	Vegetable broth works.

Plan Ahead

• Meal prep: Keep each part separate in the fridge. Assemble when you eat.
• Fridge: Up to 4 days.
• Reheat: The chicken and quinoa in the microwave. Add the dressing after.
• Freezer: Quinoa and chicken freeze fine. The vegetables turn soft.

What to Serve With It

Add a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs or a handful of greens. Sliced avocado or a soft-boiled egg make it richer.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.