Last updated on December 15th, 2019 at 11:10 am
These healthy avocado chicken lunch bowls are quick and easy to put together, easy to meal prep for the week and come with an easy low carb option too.
Can’t believe it, but I first named this recipe Green Goddess Chicken Bowls…I am officially a hippie. And also, this perfectly describes this chicken recipe – it’s full of greens, tasty, gluten-free, dairy-free, easy to meal prep and to make low carb (simply leave out the beans!).
I don’t know who the Goddess is, but it sounds better than Green Medusa Chicken Bowls, I’m telling you. Those titles always remind me of spending a few hours with my mom in a car. She loves Greek mythology and loves talking about it. I know, like, nothing about Greek or any mythology (because there are so many of them!) and my attention always goes away somewhere when she’s telling me those stories. I usually think about what I’m gonna eat for dinner. Which reminds me – chicken bowls.
Avocado Chicken Lunch Bowls
I made these chicken bowls recently and they’re so good, exactly what I need now that it’s colder and there aren’t plenty of fresh vegetables around. I found myself starving for salads a week ago. Like actually, craving a salad. And I made this. I used all the greens I had – which was lettuce, broccoli and arugula and then added some fresh cilantro. So delicious and such a needed change.
New Assistant
Also, I’ve been needing someone to hold things for me when I take food photos, (which I know are not the best, because I don’t have the best camera, but thanks for sticking around, love you, okay?). It’s been tough holding these lentil wraps with one hand while shooting the picture with my other hand. I don’t know why I always think of the dirtiest jokes, when I say something about someone only using one hand for something. Okay, let’s make this kid-friendly and non-disgusting.
So I finally found a hand model to help me out. It’s my 2-year old nephew. He’s the perfect assistant – he’s pointing at special ingredients he likes about the recipe, gives me advice and also feeds me olives off the plate I’m trying to photograph while being extremely hungry. I’m hoping to teach him how to wash the dishes after we’ve mastered doing my laundry and hair.
Meal Prep
This recipe makes 3 lunch bowls. I know, so very not-typical for me to make a recipe for three – me, myself and I. Also I tried serving this to others too, they liked it, but I want to stay humble.
So to meal prep, keep ingredients in separate containers and the dressing / sauces separately.
Other Options
I don’t know what I was thinking here, but I decided to make a mustard-based dressing for these bowls. It was actually really good, but when I make this again, I’ll make it with this avocado dill sauce or my tzatziki and definitely add some hummus. OMG, that would be so perfect, I can’t wait.
If you want to make this chicken recipe low carb or paleo, you easily can. Simply add more olives and skip the beans. Then use this low carb hummus, if you decide to make this with hummus (which I think you should, but it will take more time!) and you’re done.
Avocado Chicken Lunch Bowls (Meal Prep & Low Carb Option)
Healthy avocado chicken lunch bowls - easy to meal prep for the week and come with a simple low carb option!
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2/3 cup black beans, canned, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 avocado, chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup arugula
- 3 cilantro, sprigs, chopped
- 1/2 cup green Spanish olives
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 3 cups lettuce
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with the coriander, cumin, crushed red pepper and black pepper oil for 30 minutes. Or if you don't have time - just rub the chicken with the spices and cook it.
- Cook in a non-stick pan at medium heat with the 1 Tbsp olive oil until done, or until
- Stir-fry the broccoli in another pan with some olive oil.
- Rinse and drain the black beans, the olives (watch out for salt content!), chop lettuce, arugula and cilantro.
- Prepare the sauces (see notes!).
- Arrange the bowls with some greens at the bottom, olives, beans, chicken, broccoli and sauces on top.
- Serve immediately or...
- Make ahead for the next few days by keeping individual ingredients separate and do not add the dressing/sauces yet.
Notes
Next time I make this bowl, I'll use this avocado dill sauce and hummus, and I highly recommend you try it as well.
If you'd like to make the mustard-based dressing I made:
Mix 1 tbsp cashew butter, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp mustard, 3 tsp water, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, salt and black pepper to taste. You can also change this up for a more tzatziki-like sauce, by leaving out the mustard and vinegar and adding 1 Tbsp lemon juice instead.
For a low carb/paleo version, use no black beans and more olives and make this paleo low carb hummus.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 617 Total Fat: 39g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 30g Cholesterol: 183mg Sodium: 696mg Carbohydrates: 30g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 16g Sugar: 3g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 45g
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