30 Minute Easy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bowls

Happy New Year! I always say that the new year is like a super Monday: Mondays are a fresh start to the week, so they new year is a fresh start on your overall mentality.

Maybe you hope to make some healthier lifestyle choices. It could be as simple as taking 5 minutes every morning to be thankful or as complex as a 180° shift in your diet. Maybe it's adding 30 minutes of movement to your day or training for a marathon. Whatever it is, it all starts with small goals that are attainable and intentional.

With this mindset in mind, I wanted my first few recipes of 2022 to help you achieve those attainable and intentional health goals. I did a few polls over on my Instagram and so many of you said you wanted more 30 minute recipes! So, today's brand new recipe is probably one of the easiest dinners I've ever created (next to this sheet pan meal of course)...

I present: Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bowls! A 30 minute meal full of flavor and made with only 4 simple ingredients. And those ingredients can be as simple as they come too!

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Why You'll Love These Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bowls

• Only 4 main ingredients: chicken, quinoa, mixed veggies, and parmesan cheese. That's it! Unless you count seasonings.
• Diet-friendly: this recipe is naturally gluten-free, easily dairy-free (just swap the cheese for nutritional yeast), and very macro-friendly. You could even make it vegetarian by swapping the chicken for crispy tofu!
• Ready in 30 minutes: I'm not even kidding on this one. It all comes together so fast! You'll always have time to make it no matter how busy you are.
• Pantry/freezer staples: I specifically wrote this recipe to use the simplest ingredients and weeknight-friendly staples like frozen mixed veggies and dry quinoa. I always buy my chicken fresh, but if you have frozen chicken on hand that's just as great!
• Meal-prep friendly: these healthy chicken bowls are a great meal prep recipe for easy lunches or quick weeknight dinners. The ratios are nice and simple too, so doubling the recipe is easy too!

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Ingredients You'll Need

• Chicken breast: I always use fresh chicken, but frozen chicken is great too, especially if you always have a big bag on hand! If you're using frozen, make sure to thaw completely and pat dry really well to avoid any excess liquid on the chicken. We want it to sear in the oil!
• Quinoa: a classic pantry staple that adds complex carbs, fiber, plant-based protein, and lots of vitamins to this recipe. Start to finish, it takes 25 minutes on the stove, so it will cook while you work on the chicken!
• Frozen veggie mix: for these healthy chicken bowls, I used a "California" mix of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, but you can use any veggies you have on hand! Just make sure the amount is the same. I always have a few bags of frozen veggies stashed in my freezer and I'm sure you do too!‍
• Parmesan cheese: one of my favorite cheeses. I started using pre-shaved parmesan in place of pre-shredded because it melts better, but, again, use what you have! I also love the shaved cheese because it's thinner. ‍
• Seasonings: to keep things really simple, I opted for garlic powder instead of minced garlic to save even more time. We're also using Italian seasoning and fresh cracked black pepper. Simple, right? If you're really feeling it, you can add a dash of red chili flakes. That's my favorite!

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How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bowls

If you can't tell, this entire recipe is S-I-M-P-L-E. Like, so simple we can break it down into three simple steps! You really can't go wrong. In 30 minutes, here's everything you'll need to do to make your Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bowls:

Make the quinoa: like rice, it's two parts water to one part grain. Simply add the water to a small pot on the stove, bring to a boil, and add the quinoa. Turn down the heat down to low, cover with a lid, and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. That's it! It practically makes itself.

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Steam the veggies: one of the reasons I opted for frozen veggies was to avoid cutting and adding another dish on the stove. Don't worry, plain frozen veggies are just as healthy as fresh ones, so we're not sacrificing any nutrition!

Whatever blend of frozen vegetables you choose, make sure they can be steamed in the microwave. Once they're done, season them how you like. I always add fresh sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and some extra parmesan!

Grill the chicken: once again, make sure your chicken is completely rid of any excess moisture because we want it to grill instead of boil. Then, dice into bite size pieces. This helps the chicken cook faster and prevents boiling because you don't have to leave the pieces on the pan as long.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet or wok to medium-high heat. Add your diced chicken and seasonings, toss to combine, then let sit for 2-3 minutes in the oil. Toss again and let sit for another 1-2 minutes. If you notice the chicken boiling instead of grilling, toss more frequently. The chicken should be done after 5-8 minutes.

To serve: toss the grilled chicken, cooked quinoa, steamed veggies, and shaved parmesan together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Divide into 6 portions and enjoy. Et voila!

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More Easy Dinners You'll Love

30 Minute Creamy Butternut Squash Carbonara

30 Minute Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

Baked Hawaiian BBQ Chicken with Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa

The Best Healthy Southwestern Cobb Salad

Easy 30 Minute BBQ Chicken Pizza (NO yeast required!)

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You will LOVE these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bowls! They're super easy to make, kid-friendly, and perfect for quick weeknight dinners. I can't wait for you to try them!

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