An easy lunchtime meal perfect for meal prep.
Does lunch continue to be the hardest meal to plan for? Well no worries, this easy and tasty Quinoa Taco Salad is versatile, full of fiber, healthy fats and packed with protein! All you need is 30 minutes of prep, for a week full of healthy and delicious meals.
Hello! 👋🏼 Well it’s back to reality for me! Nick and I spent a wonderful, luxurious week on the island of Kauai and now it’s back to work, the gym, and nights at home watching the Bachelor and This is Us.
Winter can feel so long, especially if you don’t have something to look forward to. So now that our trip to Hawaii is behind us, I’m already on to planning the next one (to see my soon-to-be favorite nephew! 👶🏼)
If non-stop indulgent eating and drinks weren’t enough to want to get me back on track, I don’t know what will!
But it’s back to meal prep for this girl.
So, que the Quinoa Taco Salads.
Quinoa Taco Salad Ingredients
- chicken (optional, if you want a plant-based meal or vegan option, simply remove)
- quinoa
- black beans
- corn
- cherry tomatoes
- queso fresco (again, optional)
- avocado
- olives
- homemade seasoning: garlic powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder
This bowl is super versatile. You can really make it your own. Need a vegan or plant-based option? Forgo the chicken and cheese.
Don’t like olives or corn? Simply remove them.
There’s really no better option that’s gluten-free, vegan and/or paleo-friendly! Making it the perfect lunch or dinner option that everyone will love.
Is Quinoa Really Healthy?
Yes! First of all, it’s packed with protein and full of fiber. Which is a win-win in my book! Plus, it’s less calories than rice (has a low glycemic index – meaning it doesn’t spike your blood sugar) and, of course, it’s naturally gluten free!
How to make Quinoa Taco Bowls
6 simple steps is all it takes:
- Cut 2 lbs of skinless, boneless chicken breast into 1 inch pieces and cook on the skillet (medium-to-high heat) with avocado oil. Add the homemade taco seasoning (1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon chili powder) once the chicken is almost cooked through.
- Bring 2 cups of water to boil with salt and a splash of avocado oil and then add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa and cook until fluffy ~10-15 minutes.
- While the chicken and quinoa cook, prep the rest of the ingredients. Drain and rinse the black beans and corn (keeping them separate), wash and cut romaine lettuce, and slice the cherry tomatoes and olives.
- Once everything is ready, assemble the bowls using containers with lids. Start with the romaine lettuce (feel this out, maybe 2 big handfuls), then divide the chicken into 4 sections and place into each container. Add ¼ cup of cooked quinoa, 4 cherry tomatoes, ⅛ cup black beans, ⅛ cup corn, ⅛ an avocado and a sprinkle of queso fresco cheese into each container.
- Last but not least, the dressing. You can either use Bolthouse ranch or Bolthouse avocado green goddess by itself or you can combine Bolthouse ranch with my cilantro lime dressing. If you opt for this option, combine 1 tablespoon cilantro lime dressing with 1 tablespoon Bolthouse ranch for each container (I put each day’s dressing into separate small container and mix it with the salad the day of).
- Serve with some gluten-free tortilla chips and enjoy!
- • 3 heads of romaine lettuce
- • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- • 1teaspoon paprika
- • 1 teaspoon cumin
- • 1 teaspoon chili powder
- • 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast
- • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- • ½ can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- • ½ cup canned whole kernel corn
- • 16 cherry tomatoes
- • ½ cup queso fresco
- • ½ an avocado
- • 12 black olives, sliced
- • 8 tablespoons Bolthouse ranch
- Optional: Cilantro Lime Dressing and tortilla chips
- Cut 2 lbs. of chicken breast into 1 inch pieces and cook on medium-to-high heat in a skillet with 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
- Add homemade taco seasoning – 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon chili powder – once the chicken is almost cooked through.
- While the chicken cooks, bring 2 cups of water to boil with salt and a splash of avocado oil and then add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa and cook until fluffy ~10-15 minutes.
- While the chicken and quinoa cook, prep the rest of the ingredients. Drain and rinse the black beans and corn (keeping them separate), wash and cut the romaine lettuce, and slice the cherry tomatoes and olives.
- Once everything is ready, assemble the bowls using containers with lids. Start with the romaine lettuce (feel this out, maybe 2 big handfuls in each container), then divide the chicken into 4 sections and place into each container. Add ¼ cup of cooked quinoa, 4 cherry tomatoes, ⅛ cup black beans, ⅛ cup corn, ⅛ an avocado and a sprinkle of queso fresco cheese into each container.
- You can either use Bolthouse's ranch or avocado green goddess for the dressing or combine Bolthouse ranch with my cilantro lime dressing (see directions in post for the link to the recipe).
- Note: If you use ranch only, use 2 tablespoons, if you opt for the cilantro lime dressing with the ranch – combine 1 tablespoon cilantro lime dressing with 1 tablespoon Bolthouse ranch for each container.
- Serve with some gluten-free tortilla chips and enjoy!
Need other healthy and delicious lunch options: Check out some of my favorites:
