Chicken Buddha Bowls with Tahini Sauce
I love Buddha bowls for so many reasons—they’re delicious and nutritious for starters. (You knew I’d say that). But I also love dinners that are easy and quick.
This one, adapted from RealSimpleGood, is simple because the core ingredients cook together in the oven. Best of all, it’s overflowing with flavor, both savory and a little sweet.
I make this year-round, and often swap out veggies for based on what’s in season or what’s already in my fridge.
These bowls also taste great the next day, so I usually make extra!
This tasty bowl is packed with protein, fiber & healthy fats + vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Photo credit: RealSimpleGood
Ingredients
For the bowls:
2 medium potatoes or yams, cut into small cubes
1 yellow, white or red onion, cut into wedges
3-4 C broccoli florets
1.5 lbs chicken (breasts or thighs), cut into small pieces
2 tsp. avocado oil or melted coconut oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
4 C kale, chard, or spinach, chopped (or buy a “super greens” mix)
1 mango, diced into cubes (or buy it frozen and already cubed)
2 C white rice, cooked, or cauliflower rice (or whip up a blend of the two)
2 T sesame seeds, toasted
For the sauce:
¼ C tahini
¼ C sunflower seed butter
2 T coconut aminos (some brands saltier than others, go easy and add more if needed)
1 T raw honey
1 T extra virgin olive oil
(optional) 2 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste
1-2 T water, to reach desired consistency
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375° F, and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread the sweet potatoes, onion and broccoli on one pan and chicken* on the other. Drizzle with avocado or coconut oil, and sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30-40 min. until the veggies are tender and browning on the edges, and the chicken reaches 165° F internally. Toss your ingredients midway through the cook time.
While the chicken and veggies are roasting, prep your greens, mango and rice.
Make the tahini sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a bowl or jar and whisk until smooth. Add a bit of water to reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
Once the chicken and veggies are cooked, remove them from the oven and build your bowls. To serve, layer the bowls starting with a bed of greens, then add a scoop each of chicken, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and rice. Lastly, drizzle on your sauce and sprinkle each bowl with sesame seeds.
*Variation: I sometimes cook my chicken in a pressure cooker then shred or chop it.
Servings: 3-4
Substitution ideas:
• Broccoli —> Brussels sprouts or asparagus
• Sweet potatoes —> butternut or delicata squash, red potatoes
• Chicken —> shrimp, ground turkey, or chickpeas
• Rice/Cauliflower rice —> quinoa or rice noodles
• Sesame seeds —> sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds
