Recipe: Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach
Looking for the perfect recipe to fuel your 1776 Gauntlet training or just fitness overall? Check out this recipe from our Nutrition Group Leaders Joel and Laura Stark.
It’s packed with lean protein, complex carbohydrates, nutrient-dense sweet potatoes, and iron-rich spinach. They all help aid in muscle recovery and minimize muscle soreness after training.
Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Sweet Potatoes & Spinach
Step 1: Prep and cook the chicken.
1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
Mix marinade ingredients together and rub over chicken breasts or thighs. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. You’ll get the most flavor if you marinate the chicken overnight.
Once the chicken is marinated, place it in your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is soft and easy to pull apart. You could also bake the chicken breast in the oven at 425* F with the sweet potatoes.
Step 2: Roast the sweet potatoes.
2 large sweet potatoes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Salt & Pepper to taste
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp tsp paprika
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Preheat oven to 425* F.
Wash, peel and dice sweet potatoes into small, bite-sized pieces about ½” or less. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to coat the sweet potatoes well.
Bake at 425*F for 25-30 minutes until crispy (or air fryer for 15-25 minutes).
Step 3: Make the quinoa.
2 c low-sodium broth of choice (recommend chicken broth)
1 c rinsed quinoa
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 bay leaf
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Combine broth, quinoa, and spices in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil. Then, lower to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa absorbs the broth and is tender. Remove from the burner and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, fluff with the quinoa with a fork.
Step 4: Saute the spinach.
1 onion, diced
2 bags baby spinach, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 tsp EVOO
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 tsp EVOO to the pan. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add diced garlic, stir, and cook until you can smell the garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add roughly chopped spinach, stirring to combine it well with the onion and garlic. Remove from heat when the spinach is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Make the avocado topping.
1 ripe avocado
2-3 tsp EVOO
Juice of 2 lemons
¼ tsp of garlic powder
Put all ingredients into a bowl and mash until well combined. You can also use a blender to spead up the process.
Step 6: Build your bowl!
Put a spoonful of quinoa on the bottom of a bowl. Then, add a scoop of chicken, sweet potatoes, and spinach. Top with a heaping spoonful of the avocado topping and enjoy!
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