Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

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This chicken quinoa burrito bowl is an explosion of sweet and spicy flavors. Served with smoky black beans and plenty of avocado, you’ll love this chicken and quinoa recipe!

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I love a good rice bowl but quinoa is rich in so many good things–like fiber and protein–that it’s great to swap the rice for quinoa every now and again!

While the individual components of this recipe are quite simple, this recipe does require some finagling with the pots and pans. You’ll need a big skillet for the peppers and chicken and two pots for the quinoa and the beans. You can always make the quinoa night before too!

How to make the chicken:

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For this recipe, I opted for a sweet and spicy marinade. I used the Sweet and Heat Set and coated chicken thighs with smoky, spicy sriracha sauce blended together with fig preserves. Because the fig preserves have no sugar added, I added a bit of maple syrup and lime juice. I also added lots of chili powder and a bit of paprika.

The chicken only needs to marinate for 15–30 minutes, so while it’s hanging out you can begin working on prepping the rest of the ingredients for the chicken quinoa burrito bowl!

How to make the quinoa and beans:

While the chicken marinates, start the quinoa and the beans. For the quinoa, simply toast the quinoa in a little butter and then add water and salt. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa simmers, make the beans! First, sauté onion and then add pickled or fresh jalapeños (I love jalapeños in escabeche!). Then add the beans and a mix of spices–chili powder, cumin, paprika, and smoked paprika–along with a little water. Simmer as you finish up the chicken. If you like, you can mash some of the beans lightly for a creamier texture.

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To finish the burrito bowl, simply heat a skillet over high heat. Sauté the onions and peppers until charred and transfer to a big bowl. Next, add the chicken thighs in an even layer and cook without moving for 6–7 minutes or until a nice char begins to form. Flip and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165ºF.

From there, simply dice the chicken up and add it to the bowl of onions and peppers and add lots of chopped cilantro and toss to coat.

Simply spoon the quinoa into bowls and pile the beans and chicken on top. Serve with your favorite burrito accompaniments, like lime, sour cream, cheese, and avocado!

That’s it! While it is a lot of moving parts, the finished dish is so delicious.

Looking for more chicken recipes? Check my archives!

If you made this chicken and quinoa recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!

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Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

This chicken quinoa burrito bowl is an explosion of sweet and spicy flavors. Served with smoky black beans and plenty of avocado, you'll love this chicken and quinoa recipe!
4.41 from 5 votes
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Cook Time: 50 minutes
Inactive Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 678kcal

Equipment

  • Small pot
  • Small pot
  • Large skillet

Ingredients

Sweet and spicy chicken:

  • 2 tablespoons smokey sriracha sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fig preserves
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup optional
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil for frying
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 bell peppers trimmed, seeded, and sliced into strips
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro minced
  • Salt and pepper

Quinoa:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup quinoa rinsed
  • 2 cups water or vegetable stock
  • Salt to taste

Black beans:

  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
  • 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh or pickled jalapeños chopped, optional
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup water or vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:

  • 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
  • Lime wedges
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheese

Instructions

Marinate the chicken:

  • Combine the sriracha, fig preserves, maple syrup, lime juice, chili powder, and paprika in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper, and then adjust seasonings to taste. If you like a sweeter marinade, add more maple syrup or preserves. If you like it spicier, add more sriracha.
  • Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Prepare the quinoa:

  • Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Rinse the quinoa under cold water and then add to the pot. Cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly toasted. Pour in the water or stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt, and then reduce heat and cover. Simmer, covered, for 20–25 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Prepare the beans:

  • Heat the oil in another small pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add pickled or fresh jalapeños. Next, add the black beans and all spices and cook for 1 minute. Add the water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. You can mash some of the beans lightly for a creamier texture if you like.

Cook the chicken:

  • Heat a skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Once hot, add the onions and peppers and cook for 6–8 minutes or until charred and transfer to a big bowl. Next, add the chicken thighs and cook in an even layer for 6–7 minutes or until a nice char forms. Flip and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165ºF.
  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and dice it into cubes. Add the chicken to the bowl of onions and peppers, add the minced cilantro, and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve:

  • Spoon the quinoa into bowls and pile the beans and chicken on top. Serve with lime wedges, sour cream, cheese, and avocado!

Nutrition

Calories: 678kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 23g | Sodium: 693mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin C: 96mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!

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