This Baja Bowl is brown rice, quinoa, chicken, black bean and corn salsa, avocado, tomatoes, feta, sour cream, and green salsa. Out of this world delicious! Try my Avocado Chicken Salad for another dish full of chicken, vegetables, and flavor!
Baja Bowl {Panera Copycat}
This recipe is a copycat of Panera restaurant’s Baja Bowl. It is a chicken bowl that has all the goodness packed in one bowl. Many restaurants are offering bowls like these, including Chipotle’s chicken burrito bowl and Qdoba’s bowls, among others. It’s a great (and delicious) way to get your protein, vegetables, and beans.
Baja Bowl Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: I used two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I marinated them in a lemon garlic marinade before cooking them. You could also use boneless chicken thighs.
Rice: I used brown rice in this recipe. It has many more nutrients compared to white rice, as well as many vitamins and antioxidants packed into it. You could also use white rice if you prefer.
Quinoa: Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium quinoa plant. It is considered a superfood by many because of its high nutritional content. The most popular quinoa sold in stores is white quinoa, but it also can be red or black.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa: Check out my recipe for this refreshing and delicious salsa to add to the bowl. Or, use my Avocado Corn Salsa. You can also purchase pre-made salsa.
Feta Cheese: I love the tangy and salty taste of feta cheese. It is made from sheep’s milk or a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk.
Salsa Verde: Salsa verde is a spicy green sauce that gives the bowl a little kick. Add some pico de gallo to the bowl to offset some of the heat, or you could leave it out.
How to Make a Baja Bowl
To get the Baja bowl assembled, first, start by adding a half cup of cooked brown rice and a half cup of cooked quinoa to a bowl. Next, top the rice and quinoa with the rest of the ingredients, including sour cream and salsa verde. Add salt and pepper to taste and lime for garnish.
This recipe made pretty hearty bowls; you could always stretch out the ingredients to make it up to four smaller servings.
Can I Make Baja Bowls Ahead of Time?
Yes! This would be a wonderful and delicious meal to prep ahead of time and enjoy for a couple of days. Cook the chicken, rice, and quinoa and store each in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Have all the other salsas and toppings in containers as well for easy assembly!
More Delicious Salads
Easy Baja Bowl
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately ½ pound
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
Baja Bowl
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup black bean corn salsa
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup sour cream, or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup salsa verde
- salt and pepper, to taste
- cilantro, for garnish
- limes, for garnish
Instructions
Lemon Garlic Chicken
- In a medium bowl combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, lemon, and honey. Whisk to combine.
- Place the chicken into a large zipped bag. Pour the marinade mixture over the top, seal the bag, and shake it to make sure that the chicken is coated on all sides.
- Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add chicken and cook 8-10 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts, cooking times may vary.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet, slice, and tent to keep warm while you assemble the salad.
Assembling the Baja Bowl
- Set out two bowls. To each bowl, add ½ cup brown rice and ½ cup quinoa. Toss to combine.
- Top each bowl with the black bean and corn salsa, avocado, grape tomatoes, feta cheese, and sliced chicken.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of salsa verde.
- Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
