Customizable Chicken Fajita Bowl
This is a customizable chicken fajita and rice bowl with cooked and cooled rice, which increases the amount of resistant starch in it! This is more gut healthy (like prebiotic fiber) and lower glycemic index. It's a dinner you can turn to time and time again - who can resist a Mexican-style bowl that relies on both fresh and pantry items? It's high in protein and fiber, will keep you full for a long time, ideal for meal prep & I list so many different variation ideas in the post! Makes 4-5 servings.
Servings 5 servings
Calories 473kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast or thighs diced or cubed
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or more (or less!). Just a sprinkle for each bowl.
- 1 15.5 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15.5 ounce can corn drained and rinsed
- 2 bell peppers, diced julienne
- 1 white or yellow onion, diced julienne
- 2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice see the post for more explanation. use any rice or grain!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2-3/4 packet of fajita seasoning
- 1 medium avocado or more; a must to increase fiber content
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste for guacamole
Optional Toppings or Add-Ins
- Salsa
- Chik-Fil-A Creamy Salsa Dressing
- Hot Sauce
- Black Olives
Instructions
- Dice/cube raw chicken. Drain and rinse black beans and corn. Julienne the bell peppers and onions.
- Add one tablespoon olive oil to a pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onions and peppers to a pan.
- Cook until tender, stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes, and remove from pan.
- Add the diced chicken to the pan. Add additional oil if pan if not well coated. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, stirring occasionally. While the chicken is cooking, I usually start making the guacamole or slicing the avocado, diced olives, tomatoes, etc. Basically, get all of your toppings together and ready to assemble the bowl.
- Add the seasoning (I usually use only 1/2-3/4 packet or about 2 1/2 tablespoons), plus 1/4 cup of water, and fajita veggies into the pan. Once boiling, reduce the heat, stir well, and allow to simmer until vegetables are softened to your preference.
- Add in the black beans and corn to warm them up. Or, if preferred, can be microwaved.Turn off the heat and prepare to assemble the bowl.
- Heat up rice in microwave until it reaches 165 degrees F.
- Assemble the bowl or meal prep container: 1/2 cup of rice, about 4 ounces of chicken breast, 1/4 cup of black beans, 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, olives, corn, guacamole, jalapeno and shredded cheese. Drizzle with Chik-Fil-A salsa dressing or salsa.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This is a great meal prep recipe for the next 2-3 days - keep avocado slices on the side and add day of consumption.
Notes
Read the entire post for more flavor, sauce, protein, and grain variations! This bowl can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be.
Easily make this bowl dairy-free as it is already gluten-free. Check fajita seasoning for gluten-free label to be sure!
Nutritional information calculated for 5 servings with guacamole.
473 calories, 35 grams of protein, 14.7 grams of fat, 11.8 grams of fiber, 933 mg sodium, 7.5 grams of sugar, 51 grams of carbohydrates, good source of iron and potassium.
Nutrition
Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 14.7g | Sodium: 933mg | Fiber: 11.8g | Sugar: 7.5g