Description
A hearty, vibrant, and easy-to-batch-cook meal prep bowl featuring seasoned chicken thighs, fluffy quinoa, fresh veggies, and a creamy tahini-lemon sauce. It is gluten-free, Whole30-friendly, and packed with 35+ grams of protein per serving.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup white quinoa (185g dry)
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2–4 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry and rub with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Let sit while prepping other ingredients.
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer. Combine with broth in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in lemon juice.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, and salt. Slowly whisk in water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth and drizzle-able.
- Assemble bowls by layering quinoa, sliced chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Top with fresh herbs and drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
Notes
Rinse quinoa thoroughly to remove bitter saponin. Do not crowd the pan when searing chicken to ensure a good crust. Stir tahini well before measuring as it separates. Store sauce separately if packing lunches to prevent soggy quinoa. Fresh cucumbers may get soft after day 3, so add them fresh for later days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 38
Keywords: high protein, meal prep, chicken and quinoa, healthy lunch, gluten-free, Whole30, tahini sauce, batch cooking