These Chicken Taco Grain Bowls are loaded with bold Tex-Mex flavor and fresh, colorful ingredients for a hearty and wholesome meal. They’re easy to customize with your favorite toppings and perfect for meal prep, quick lunches, or busy weeknight dinners.
If you’re looking for a satisfying meal prep lunch that doesn’t feel boring by day two, these easy Chicken Taco Grain Bowls are a great choice. Taco-seasoned chicken, quinoa, fresh toppings, and a creamy dressing create a bowl that’s loaded with texture and flavor. With lean protein, fiber-rich quinoa and beans, and plenty of fresh ingredients, these bowls are hearty enough to keep you full and satisfied.
I highly recommend preparing the components in advance for easy lunches throughout the week or a quick dinner for busy nights. These bowls are just as delicious cold from the fridge as they are served warm.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken: I recommend using 96% lean ground chicken instead of ultra-lean 99% ground chicken breast. That small difference in fat content makes a big difference in both flavor and texture, helping the chicken stay tender and satisfying instead of dry.
- Quinoa: I use basic white (golden) quinoa because it cooks up light, fluffy, and mild in flavor. Be sure to rinse it well before cooking to remove any bitterness.
- Low-sodium chicken broth: Cooking the quinoa in broth instead of water adds an extra layer of savory flavor right from the start.
- Romaine: Crisp romaine lettuce adds fresh crunch and keeps these bowls feeling light and balanced. Little Gem lettuce is another great option.
- Black beans: Canned black beans add fiber, texture, and extra staying power to make these bowls more satisfying. Feel free to substitite pinto beans if you’d like.
- Cheese: A small amount of shredded cheddar cheese or Jack cheese (or a combo) adds creamy, savory flavor. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer a dairy-free bowl.
- Avocado: Creamy avocado adds richness and balances the bold taco-seasoned chicken perfectly.
- Taco seasoning: My homemade Low Sodium Taco Seasoning adds bold flavor without excess salt and lets you control the spice level. If using a store-bought blend, choose one you enjoy and adjust to taste.
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing: This dressing really pulls everything together. Made with Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, and a simple seasoning blend, it adds creamy texture and fresh flavor that works perfectly with the taco-seasoned chicken and quinoa.
How to Make Chicken Taco Grain Bowls
- Cook the chicken with taco seasoning and a little water until browned, crumbled, and flavorful.
- Cook the quinoa in chicken broth until fluffy and tender.
- Start assembling the bowls with romaine, quinoa, and the seasoned chicken.
- Finish the bowls with black beans, tomatoes, red onion, cheese, avocado, Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving.
Meal Prep Tips
These bowls keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, making them a great option for lunches throughout the week.
- Divide the chicken, quinoa, beans, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro between 4 meal prep containers.
- Store the romaine and Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing separately for the best texture and freshness. Add them when packing your lunch for the day or just before serving.
- Toss the avocado with a little lime juice to help prevent browning or slice it fresh the day you plan to serve it.
Variations
- Swap the beans: Pinto or kidney beans work well in place of black beans.
- Add more toppings: Try corn, bell peppers, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, olives, or tortilla strips.
- Change the protein: Ground turkey or lean ground beef is an easy swap for the ground chicken.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and add extra beans or roasted vegetables.
- Quiona: Swap the plain quinoa with my Garlic Butter Quinoa for an extra layer of savory flavor. Or opt for Cilantro Lime Rice or simply cooked brown rice.
- Turn it into wraps: Wrap the filling mixture in large flour tortillas or low-carb wraps for an easy handheld lunch or dinner option. If you enjoy wrap-style meals, be sure to check out my BBQ Chicken Salad Wraps too.
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Meal Prep Chicken Taco Grain Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound 96% lean ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium taco seasoning
- ¼ cup water
For the Quinoa
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup quinoa
For the Bowls
- 4 cups chopped romaine
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup shredded cheddar or Jack cheese, optional
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- ½ cup Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
- lime wedges, optional
Instructions
Cook the Chicken
- Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over MEDIUM heat. Add the chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until crumbled and cooked through. Drain excess liquid, if needed. Return the skillet to the heat, add the taco seasoning and water, and cook, stirring, until the chicken is well coated and moistened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Cook the Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer under cool running water and drain. Add the broth to a medium saucepan and place over HIGH heat. Stir in the rinsed quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Assemble the Bowls (to serve now)
- Divide the romaine between 4 bowls. Top each with chicken, quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and cheese (if using) and toss to combine. Add the avocado. Drizzle with the dressing before serving.
Meal Prep Instructions (for lunches throughout the week)
- Divide the chicken, quinoa, beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and cheese (if using) between 4 meal prep containers. Tuck a lime wedge into each container. Store the romaine, avocado, and dressing separately. Refrigerate the components for up to 3 to 4 days.
- On the day you’ll be eating it, add the lettuce and toss to combine. Top with avocado, drizzle with dressing, and squeeze the juice from the lime wedge over the top just before serving. For meal prep, toss the avocado with a little lime juice to help prevent browning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home. All information provided regarding nutrition on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Content related to nutrition is not medical advice nor is it intended to replace medical advice. The website is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. Before beginning any diet program, modifying your diet, or making changes to the diet of a child in your care, including following the nutrition information available on the website, you should seek advice from a licensed professional.
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BBQ Chicken Salad Wraps
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