These Hen Taco Rice Bowls are made with seasoned rooster thighs, fast black beans, rice, pico de gallo, and avocado for a simple, high-protein, fiber-rich dinner that’s excellent for weeknights or meal prep.
Hen Taco Rice Bowls
In the event you’re like me and making an attempt to get extra protein and fiber in a meal, you’ll love these Hen Taco Bowls! Certainly one of my easy build-a-bowl dinners that verify all of the bins: flavorful, filling, and weeknight-friendly. Juicy boneless rooster thighs are paired with my black beans, fluffy rice, recent pico de gallo, and creamy avocado for a meal that delivers over 45 grams protein and 9 grams of fiber in about half-hour.
Why This Recipe Works
I really like bowls like this as a result of every little thing may be prepped forward of time and combined and matched, making them excellent for busy nights or meal prep. It’s the form of dinner my entire household enjoys, the black beans are so good!
- Household-friendly: Set out all of the components and let your loved ones assemble their very own bowls nonetheless they need.
- Taco Tuesday: A enjoyable twist as a substitute of consuming in taco shells.
- Meal prep: Excellent for packing in containers to tackle the go.
- Balanced meal: These high-protein rooster taco bowls include 45.5 grams of protein per serving, and over 9 grams of fiber!
- Customizable for various diets: This dish is of course dairy- and gluten- free and excessive in protein. I’ve additionally included ideas for making it low- carb and vegetarian/vegan.
Elements You’ll Want
Right here’s every little thing that you must make this straightforward rooster taco rice bowl recipe. See the recipe card under for the precise measurements.
Black Bean Elements
- Aromatics: Onion, pink bell pepper, garlic
- Cilantro: A basic Latin herb that provides freshness.
- Canned Black Beans: No have to rinse or drain them. The liquid helps thicken the beans whereas they simmer.
- Water: Add slightly water so the beans can simmer.
- Seasoning: Cumin, bay leaf, and kosher salt
Taco Bowl Elements
- Limes: Squeeze recent lime juice over the rooster, then slice the remaining lime to serve with the rice bowls.
- Boneless, Skinless Hen Thighs: Trim off the fats with kitchen scissors.
- Do-it-yourself Taco Seasoning is simple to make at house with frequent spices you in all probability have already got available. It solely takes a couple of minutes and allows you to management the salt content material, however you should use a premade combine if you happen to want.
- White Rice: Use plain white rice or jazz it up with my cilantro lime rice. You also can use frozen rice or microwavable pouches to avoid wasting time.
- Pico de Gallo is one other one which’s tremendous easy to make at house, but when you’re in a rush, purchase it premade on the grocery store.
- Avocado: Slice or cube a ripe avocado for a creamy addition.
Methods to Make Hen Taco Rice Bowls
If you wish to knock out a few of the prep the day earlier than, prepare dinner the black beans and rice, and trim the rooster thighs. Whereas the rooster cooks, make the pico and slice the avocado. See the recipe card on the backside for printable instructions.
- Make the black beans: Sauté the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and cilantro in a big skillet till gentle. Add the remaining black bean components. Deliver to a boil, then simmer for quarter-hour till thickened. Take away from the warmth and discard the bay leaf.
- Season the rooster: Drizzle the thighs with lime juice, then sprinkle with taco seasoning.
- Cook dinner the rooster on a sizzling grill pan or in a cast-iron skillet. It ought to take about 7 to eight minutes per facet, however you’ll be able to verify that the thighs are carried out with an instant-read thermometer. As soon as it reaches 165°F, switch the rooster to a plate. Let it relaxation for five to 10 minutes earlier than slicing.
- Assemble the taco bowls: Divide the rice and beans amongst 4 bowls, then prime every with rooster, pico, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Variations
- Protein choices: Exchange rooster thighs with rooster breasts, floor rooster or turkey, or steak.
- Vegan and vegetarian taco bowl: Omit the rooster and serve with further beans, or add different greens, comparable to sliced cucumbers, sautéed corn, or mushrooms.
- Hate cilantro? Go away it out!
- Make it spicy: Add diced jalapeños or chipotle in adobo sauce to the black beans. High your bowl with jalapeños or a drizzle of sizzling sauce.
- Swap white rice for brown rice or quinoa if you happen to want.
- Scale back the carbs: You may make this rooster taco bowl with no rice. Substitute romaine lettuce or cauliflower rice, or double the beans for a protein and fiber enhance.
- Avocado: Use guacamole as a substitute of sliced avocado.
- Pico de gallo: In the event you don’t need to make pico, you should use sliced cherry tomatoes and even jarred salsa.
- Topping Concepts: End your bowl with cheddar, Monterey Jack, or cotija, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt or bitter cream. Do-it-yourself avocado crema would even be scrumptious.
Meal Prep and Storage
You’ll be able to double this taco rice bowl recipe to have leftovers, which is able to last as long as 4 days within the fridge. Right here’s the way to pack them if you happen to’re taking them to high school or work.
- Retailer the rooster, rice, and beans in 2-cup glass containers, and retailer the pico de gallo in smaller containers.
- Microwave the rooster combination for a couple of minute till heat.
- High with pico, and slice the avocado.
In the event you’re serving them for dinner, you’ll be able to put every little thing in a single massive container or divide the rooster, beans, and rice into particular person containers. It’s also possible to freeze it for as much as 3 months and add the pico and avocado earlier than serving.
Extra Excessive-Protein Bowls You’ll Love
For extra wholesome dinner concepts, try these 5 scrumptious high-protein bowl recipes to encourage your subsequent meal!
Yield: servings
Serving Measurement: 1 bowl
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Add oil to a big deep skillet or medium pot with the onions, pepper, garlic and cilantro, and saute till gentle, about 3 to five minutes. Add the beans, water, cumin, salt and bay leaf, and produce to a boil. Decrease warmth and canopy, simmer about quarter-hour stirring sometimes till thickened. Take away from warmth, and discard bay leaf.
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Whereas the beans begin to prepare dinner, warmth a big grill pan or forged iron skillet over medium warmth and spray with oil. In a bowl, add lime juice to the rooster then season with taco seasoning. Cook dinner the rooster 7 to eight minutes on either side, till cooked via within the middle. Slice and preserve collectively.
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Divide the rice and beans in 4 bowls, prime with rooster, pico de gallo and serve with avocado, cilantro and lime wedges.
Final Step:
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Serving: 1 bowl, Energy: 550 kcal, Carbohydrates: 66.5 g, Protein: 45.5 g, Fats: 10.5 g, Saturated Fats: 2.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 161.5 mg, Sodium: 1110 mg, Fiber: 9.5 g, Sugar: 4.5 g