Chicken fajita bowl with cilantro lime rice
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
45 minutes
Serving Size:
1/4 recipe (510 g)
Lunch
A healthy and easy lunch or dinner that is as good served warm or saved and served cold. This delicious Mexican inspired high protein bowl provides 12 g fibre and 36 g protein.
Ingredients
Rice Ingredients:
- 1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil
- ¾ cup (175 mL) brown rice
- ½ tsp (1 mL) dried thyme
- 1.5 cups (375 mL) water
- ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped cilantro
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
Chicken fajita ingredients:
- 1 package (24 g) low-sodium taco or fajita seasoning
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
- 1 lb/454 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 3 cups (750 mL) mushrooms, sliced
- 3 medium bell peppers, red, orange and green, sliced (about 3 cups)
- 1 medium red onion, sliced (1 cup)
Add ins:
- 1 can (540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed, warmed if desired
- 3 cups (750 mL) romaine lettuce, shredded
- 3 cups (750 mL) raw spinach, shredded
- 4 Tbsp ¼ cup (60 mL) salsa
- 4 Tbsp ¼ cup (60 mL) green onion, thinly sliced
- 4 Tbsp ¼ cup (60 mL) low fat sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium-high heat. Add rice and thyme and heat for 1-2 minutes before adding water. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook about 40-45 minutes until water is absorbed. Once cooked, fluff rice with a fork and add cilantro, lime juice and zest; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix taco seasoning and oil. Add chicken strips, mushrooms, peppers, and onion and mix to coat.
- Place ingredients onto a large baking sheet; bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently toss ingredients. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
- Divide beans, romaine, spinach and rice into 4 bowls. Top with chicken and vegetable fajita mixture along with salsa, sour cream and green onion.
Tips
- Add flavour: Adding fresh and dried herbs along with citrus zest helps add flavour to this dish without added salt.
- Nutrition know-how: Leafy greens such as spinach and romaine lettuce are a great addition to this hearty bowl. They provide limited carbohydrate, added fibre and are rich in vitamins A, C, E and K along with plant compounds called carotenoids that help protect cells from damage.
- Kitchen know-how: The taco seasoning mix, canned beans and salsa already contain salt so be sure to taste the dish before adding any.
- Budget friendly: If a recipe calls for an herb or spice you don’t usually have on hand, you can purchase very small amounts at a bulk store for pennies vs. purchasing a whole jar at the grocery store.
- Food safety: Using different coloured cutting boards is a good way to keep raw meat and raw vegetables separate. For example, use a red cutting board for raw meat and a green cutting board for chopping rinsed veggies.
| Amount | % Daily Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories 440 | |||
| Fat 10 g | 13 % | ||
| Saturated 2.5 g + Trans Fat 0 g | 13 % | ||
| Cholesterol 60 mg | |||
| Sodium 570 mg | 25 % | ||
| Carbohydrate 59 g | |||
| Fibre 12 g | 43 % | ||
| Sugars 8 g | |||
| Protein 36 g | |||
