This pesto chicken quinoa bowl is a powerhouse of flavor, with fresh basil and arugula pesto paired with juicy grilled chicken, torn prosciutto, roasted peppers and broccoli. All plated with fluffy quinoa, it’s a healthy pesto power bowl that you can whip up any evening.
The story behind the dish
I’m from Ohio, which means that I’ve been to First Watch many times – a popular brunch spot with lots of fresh options. I commonly order the pesto quinoa power bowl, which features delicious pesto with fresh chicken, tomatoes, cheese and other veggies. I decided to spin this and make my own dinner version that is easy to prepare and provides a balance between our vegetables, protein and grain. So if you have ever been a fan of that pesto power bowl, you will definitely like this recipe!
Equipment you need to make pesto chicken quinoa bowls
Here’s what you ned to make this recipe:
- A sharp knife – for chopping.
- A grill or grill PAN – I don’t have a grill in my little apartment but I DO have this Staub Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan which is the next best thing for our chicken. It creates those grill lines and makes juicy chicken breast.
- A large sauce pan – we use this to cook and prepare the quinoa. Here’s the Le Creuset one I use and it is dynamite.
- A medium sheet pan for vegetables – I use Williams Sonoma Gold Touch brand.
- A food processor – necessary to make our pesto sauce. I like Cuisinart.
Ingredients for this recipe
Here’s what you need to add to your grocery list!
- chicken breasts
- yellow bell pepper – you can easily swap red, green or another color on hand.
- a large head of broccoli – cauliflower would also be tasty!
- smoked prosciutto – I use the mildly smoked packaged prosciutto from Trader Joe’s. No extra cooking necessary!
- quinoa – I used white quinoa for this recipe but you can use red or black.
- oregano – dried oregano is fine.
- salt & pepper
- fresh basil – don’t skip this! But if you can’t find basil, you can use parsley.
- arugula – for the pesto and for the final plating.
- Parmesan cheese – Parmesan Romano blend is fine as well.
- olive oil
- A lemon
- white vinegar
- red pepper flakes – optional, but brings the heat!
Directions
Let’s make this pesto chicken quinoa bowl:
Step 1
Prep the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop the broccoli into bite sized pieces and slice the pepper thinly. Add the broccoli and pepper to a baking sheet and drizzle them with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and the dried oregano and toss with your hands. Place the pan in the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly browned and crispy.
Step 2
Make the quinoa. In a small pot or saucepan, add 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Then bring the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let it sit for about 15 minutes, or until the water has absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Step 3
Make the pesto. In a food processor, combine the basil, arugula, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, pepper, pine nuts and garlic. Pulse until smooth. Then add the vinegar and pulse again. Set aside.
Step 4
Prepare the chicken. Cut the breasts into two thinner cutlets (butterfly them). Rub each chicken cutlet with a dab of olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
Step 5
Cook the chicken. Heat a large grill pan or cast iron over high heat with a splash of olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 5 minutes. Flip all of them and then cook for 5 additional minutes. Remove the chicken and transfer it to a plate. Once the chicken has cooled enough, slice the chicken into thinner, forkable pieces.
Step 6
Arrange your bowl! Add the quinoa, and top with peppers, broccoli, chicken, torn prosciutto and extra arugula. Pour on the pesto sauce and mix thoroughly. Enjoy warm!
Recipe Substitutions
Here are some easy swaps and substitutions for this recipe:
Make parsley pesto: Basil is my favorite base for pesto, but it’s a finicky herb that rots easily. Parsley has better shelf life, and it creates delicious pesto that tastes pretty similar. Try it out!
Swap couscous for quinoa: If you want the dish to be even heartier, try couscous, Farro or even orzo pasta. Small grains or pasta noodles go great with chicken and pesto!
Make it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and prosciutto and add a can of chickpeas. Sliced cherry tomatoes would also taste great in this dish if you need more items to fill the bowl.
Other common questions
What is pesto?
Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy. It traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmesan, Pecorino or Romano all blended with olive oil. It’s a light and herby sauce that tastes great on pasta, pizza, bread, salad and chicken.
Basil is the most popular herb to make a pesto sauce with, but parsley works as well! I also like to add greens, like spinach, arugula or kale to give it a super green kick.
Is quinoa gluten free?
Yes! Quinoa is a dense and nutritious whole grain that does not contain gluten! It is considered a complete protein, so you’ll notice that it is pretty filling!
How quinoa is made
There is a lot of debate on how to make the fluffiest quinoa, but my method never fails me. Add 2 parts water to 1 part white quinoa (however much you want to make) to a saucepan and bring it to a boil for no more than 30 seconds. Then you have to let it simmer (COVERED!) so that the quinoa absorbs the hot water. After 10-15 minutes, you should have fluffy and soft quinoa. Be sure to remove the pan from the heat so your quinoa doesn’t dry out and burn.
Recipe Storage
For the refrigerator: Transfer the food to an air tight container and refrigerate for about 4-5 days.
Reheating: Just place a serving of the food in a bowl and pop it into the microwave for about 60 seconds. Tastes great!
Other recipes to try
If you liked this pesto chicken quinoa bowl, then check out these other easy recipes:
- Chicken Bruschetta Orzo
- Slow Cooker Beer Chicken Tacos with Corn and Mango Salsa
- Chicken Parmesan Salad with Balsamic Dressing
- Honey Glazed Chicken and Farro Bowls
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Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 grille pan or cast iron, for chicken
- 1 large sauce pan for the quinoa
- 1 medium sheet pan for vegetables
- 1 Food processor for pesto
Ingredients
For the bowl
- 1 large chicken breast cut into 2 cutlets
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced thin
- 1 large head broccoli chopped
- 2 slices smoked prosciutto
- 1 cup quinoa
- ½ cup arugula
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt & pepper
Pesto Sauce
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- ½ cup arugula
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated or shaved
- 2 garlic cloves skin removed
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- juice from ½ a lemon
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- red pepper flakes
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add chopped broccoli and the yellow pepper to a baking sheet and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and the oregano. Place the pan in the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy.1 yellow bell pepper, 1 tsp oregano, 1 large head broccoli
- Make the quinoa. In a small pot or saucepan, add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups of water. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Then bring the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let it sit for about 15 minutes, or until the water has absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.1 cup quinoa
- Make the pesto. In a food processor, combine the basil, arugula, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, pepper, pine nuts and garlic. Pulse until smooth. Then add the vinegar and pulse again. Set aside.½ cup arugula, ¼ cup fresh basil, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup pine nuts, ¼ cup olive oil, juice from ½ a lemon, 3 tbsp white vinegar, red pepper flakes, pepper, 2 garlic cloves
- Prepare the chicken. Cut the breasts into two thinner cutlets (butterfly them). Rub each chicken cutlet with a dab of olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.1 large chicken breast, salt & pepper
- Heat a large griddle or cast iron over high heat with a splash of olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 5 minutes. Flip, then cook for 5 additional minutes. Remove the chicken (transfer to a plate). Once cooled enough, slice the chicken into thinner pieces.
- Arrange the bowl. Add the quinoa, and top with peppers, broccoli, chicken, torn prosciutto and extra arugula. Pour on the pesto sauce and mix thoroughly. Enjoy warm!2 slices smoked prosciutto, ½ cup arugula
Nathan Fleischer
DELIGHTFUL
hoffmacv
🙂