Description
This Spicy Mexican-Style Protein Bowl is a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring tender cumin-spiced chicken breasts simmered in salsa verde, paired with hearty black beans, a quinoa and brown rice medley, sautéed vegetables, and creamy avocado. Perfect for a wholesome lunch or dinner, this recipe balances spice and freshness with nutritious ingredients for a satisfying meal inspired by classic Mexican flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 4 tablespoon Olive Oil, divided
Vegetables and Beans
- 1/3 cup Onion, divided
- 1/3 cup Green Bell Pepper, divided
- 1/3 cup Celery, divided
- 1/2 Jalapeño Pepper
- 8 ounce Canned Black Beans (with liquid)
- 1 1/2 cup Salsa Verde (divided)
Grains and Garnishes
- 10 ounce Frozen Quinoa and Brown Rice Mix
- 1 Avocado
- Fresh Cilantro, to taste
- Lime wedges, to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken: In a small bowl, combine the ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle half of this spice mixture evenly on both sides of the chicken breasts and set aside.
- Cook chicken on skillet: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts carefully and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate.
- Prepare jalapeño: Dice the half jalapeño pepper finely.
- Prep avocado and garnishes: Slice the avocado into wedges, chop fresh cilantro, and cut lime into wedges for serving.
- Sauté vegetables with jalapeño and salsa verde: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the onion, green bell pepper, celery, and diced jalapeño. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and translucent, then stir in 1 1/4 cups of salsa verde.
- Simmer chicken in sauce: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, cover tightly with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Sauté remaining vegetables: In a small pot over medium heat, add the last 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until tender and slightly translucent.
- Cook black beans with salsa verde: Stir in the canned black beans along with their liquid and 1/4 cup salsa verde. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
- Heat quinoa and brown rice: Warm the frozen quinoa and brown rice mix according to package directions, typically in the microwave.
- Assemble protein bowls: Divide the heated quinoa and brown rice evenly between two bowls.
- Slice chicken and arrange: Cut the cooked chicken breasts into 1/2-inch strips and place atop the quinoa in each bowl.
- Add beans and sauce: Spoon the black beans on one side of the chicken and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce from the chicken sauté on the other side.
- Add avocado and garnish: Tuck avocado wedges into the bowl, sprinkle chopped cilantro generously, and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste.
- Serve: Serve immediately and enjoy this spicy, nutritious Mexican-style protein bowl!
Notes
- For extra heat, include more jalapeño or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.
- You can substitute chicken breasts with chicken thighs for juicier meat.
- Frozen quinoa and brown rice mix can be replaced with freshly cooked grains if preferred.
- Adjust salt in the recipe to taste depending on the saltiness of salsa verde and canned beans.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat before serving.
- For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and add sautéed mushrooms or tofu.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Mexican protein bowl, chicken bowl, quinoa bowl, salsa verde, black beans, healthy Mexican recipe, spicy chicken bowl
