The Ultimate Healthy Plate Bowl: Grilled Chicken, Roasted Veggies & Quinoa

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts (about 600g total), sliced into strips
• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (for cooking quinoa)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped into half-moons
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons tahini (for dressing)
• 1 tablespoon water (to thin dressing)
• Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Get Your Quinoa Going First

   Add the rinsed quinoa and chicken broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Take it off the heat and leave the lid on for another 5 minutes—this makes it fluffy, not mushy. Set aside.

2. 2

   Season That Chicken Properly

   In a bowl, toss your chicken strips with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Don't be shy with the seasoning—this is where a lot of the flavor comes from. Let it sit for 5 minutes while your oven preheats to 200°C (400°F).

3. 3

   Roast the Veggies

   Spread the zucchini, red bell pepper, and chickpeas on a large baking tray. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want some caramelized edges on those veggies—that's where the magic is.

4. 4

   Grill the Chicken

   Heat a grill pan or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken strips for about 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through and slightly charred on the outside. Internal temperature should hit 74°C (165°F). Let it rest for 2 minutes before serving—this keeps it juicy.

   

5. 5

   Whisk the Tahini Dressing

   In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, and water until smooth and pourable. If it's too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time. Taste it—it should be tangy, nutty, and slightly savory. This dressing does a lot of heavy lifting for the whole bowl.

6. 6

   Build Your Healthy Plate Bowl

   Here's where it comes together. Start with a base of quinoa (roughly half a cup cooked per serving), add a handful of baby spinach alongside the roasted veggies and chickpeas, then lay the grilled chicken on top. Add the cherry tomatoes fresh—they don't need cooking. Drizzle with tahini dressing and scatter fresh parsley over everything. Done.

Substitution Ideas

Storage Tips

Store each component separately in airtight containers in the fridge—this is the key move for meal prep. The quinoa and roasted veggies keep well for up to 4 days. Cooked chicken stays good for 3-4 days. Keep the cherry tomatoes and spinach separate and add them fresh when you're building each bowl. The tahini dressing keeps in a small jar for up to a week—just give it a stir before using. Don't freeze the assembled bowl; the texture of the veggies suffers. But you can absolutely freeze the cooked chicken and quinoa separately for up to 2 months.