Tahini Marinated Chicken Buddha Bowl
This buddha bowl has it all... lean protein, whole grains, and nutritious veggies! The cucumber and tomato salad compliments the tahini chicken perfectly!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time8 minutes mins
Total Time28 minutes mins
Course: Entree, Main Course
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 597kcal
CHICKEN MARINADE:
- 1/4 cup tahini paste (make sure to stir the tahini well while it's in the container before measuring)
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp fresh parley, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (roughly 1 1/2 lbs)
- pinch of kosher salt
CUCUMBER TOMATO SALAD:
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber, chopped (I used mini seedless cucumbers)
- 1 1/2 cups cherry/gold tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cooked tricolor quinoa (or equivalent amount of another grain - rice, couscous, bulgur, etc)
Combine marinade ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Remove 1/4 cup of marinade and place in an airtight container and refrigerate. Add chicken to plastic bag, seal tightly, and massage to coat chicken in marinade. Refrigerate 4 hours, up to overnight.
Remove plastic bag from refrigerator while preheating grill (or a large skillet) to MED. Set container of reserved tahini marinade on the counter to come to room temperature. Lightly oil grill grates and gently pat excess marinade from chicken. Grill chicken about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through, and remove to a plate.
Add all cucumber tomato salad ingredients (except quinoa), in a mixing bowl, tossing to combine.
To serving bowls, add 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup salad, and 2-3 chicken thighs. Drizzle with reserved tahini marinade and serve!
TO MEAL PREP:
Separate cooked quinoa among several meal prep containers (I like these!). Arrange quinoa on one side of the container, and tomato cucumber salad on the other. Lay the chicken over the top.
Divide leftover tahini sauce and pour into condiment cups with lids (these are great), and add one to each meal prep container. Refrigerate until ready to heat and serve.
Calories: 597kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 214mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 21.6mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4.5mg