Salsa Chicken Grain Bowls

Salsa chicken grain bowls are full of juicy, tender chicken, fluffy grains, fresh and sautéed veggies and tons of toppings. Great for meal prep or an easy dinner!

Happy Monday, my friends!

I'm back from my annual girls beach trip and wow, did we have a great time! We spent our mornings lounging around, making breakfast and drinking mimosas.

Then we'd move to the beach for the rest of the day, talking and listening to music.

We retired to the pool in the late afternoon for floating around and more chatting. Then we'd making dinner, play games or watch a movie, and laugh and talk all night.

I'm so thankful to have this group of amazing women to go through life with. And so thankful to be able to get away with them for some fun and a recharge.

I'm happy to be back home with my kiddos and husband though and I'm feeling refreshed and ready for the week ahead.

So let's get to it!

Salsa chicken grain bowls are a great way to use up leftover slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken or any crockpot or Instant Pot salsa chicken you have on hand. Possibly from Cinco de Mayo yesterday!

I use shredded salsa chicken for nachos, tacos, rice bowls and more. Bowls are especially great for meal prepping for the week, whether for lunch or dinner.

You can make these chicken bowls in ALL kinds of ways, so please see the substitutions and toppings ideas below.

This particular recipe features one of my easy go-to combinations, since I always have these ingredients on hand.

We’ve got the flavorful salsa chicken, steamed, fluffy brown rice, fresh, sweet corn, sautéed zucchini and garnishes of fresh cilantro, pickled red onions and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Yum in every direction, in every bite.

However, you can absolutely customize this to suit your tastes! And you should - make it your own!

(Or set this up as a station and let everyone in the family mix and match their favorite ingredients. Great when you have a crowd with different tastes or kids who are on the picky side.)

So let’s talk some details about this dish.

If you want to jump to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes and substitutions for salsa chicken grain bowls:

• I use brown rice for the grain, but quinoa or farro would work instead. Or use cauliflower rice for a low-carb base.
• You could bulk this bowl up even more by adding some black beans.
• Want more veggies? Toss in some bell pepper strips to sauté with the zucchini. Or add a base layer of fresh chopped spinach for these bowls.
• Like it spicy? Feel free to add a finely chopped jalapeño or some red pepper flakes when you sauté the zucchini for a little kick.

And you know what’s coming next, don’t you?

Yup, toppings.

I can’t leave you without some inspiration for toppings or garnishes for these chicken bowls!

Toppings for chicken grain bowls:

- Pickled red onions (here’s a recipe I’ve used before)

- Chopped fresh cilantro

- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

- Extra salsa or pico de gallo

- Shredded cheddar cheese

- Sliced or diced avocado or a dollop of guac

- Hot sauce or a drizzle of sriracha

Finally, if you don’t have any leftover salsa or Mexican chicken to use for this recipe, do not fret.

You can simply mix together some salsa, a bit of taco seasoning and a rotisserie chicken that has been pulled off and shredded or chopped. Warm it up in the microwave or in a skillet.

Bam, you are all caught up and ready to go!

I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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Salsa chicken grain bowls

Salsa chicken grain bowls are full of juicy, tender chicken, fluffy grains, fresh and sautéed veggies and tons of toppings. Great for meal prep or an easy dinner!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

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Cook Mode

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch thick half moons
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups cooked brown rice, warmed
• 2 cups cooked salsa chicken, warmed (see notes)
• 1 cup corn (fresh, canned or frozen, thawed)

Optional toppings:

• Pickled red onions, chopped fresh cilantro, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, extra salsa or pico de gallo, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced or diced avocado or a dollop of guac, hot sauce or a drizzle of sriracha

Instructions

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini slices and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until browned and tender. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Divide the warmed rice and chicken among four bowls. Add the zucchini and corn and then finish with all the toppings you can manage! Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

I use leftover slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken, but any type of slow cooker or Instant Pot salsa chicken will work. If you don't have any, you can simply mix together some salsa, a bit of taco seasoning and a rotisserie chicken that has been pulled off and shredded or chopped. Warm it up in the microwave or in a skillet.

I use brown rice for the grain, but quinoa or farro would work instead. Or use cauliflower rice for a low-carb base.

You could bulk this bowl up even more by adding some black beans.

Want more veggies? Toss in some bell pepper strips to sauté with the zucchini. Or add a base layer of fresh chopped spinach for these bowls.

Like it spicy? Feel free to add a finely chopped jalapeño or some red pepper flakes when you sauté the zucchini for a little kick.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 956mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g

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