Kitchen staples come together to create protein and nutrient-packed one-pot wonder tastes just like chicken fajitas. Made with quinoa, tender chicken, peppers, and onions, this Chicken Fajita Bowl is ready in less than 30 minutes.
My secret to healthy, home cooking? It is keeping a well-stocked freezer and pantry.
Then when my days get crazy and I have limited time to run to the store or to make dinner, I can rely on simple ingredients to make a wholesome meal.
My Chicken Fajita bowls are a great example of a meal made with my well-stocked kitchen. Made with staples like quinoa, chicken breasts, frozen peppers, and onion blend, and jarred salsa, this Quinoa Bowl can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Key Ingredients
- Quinoa: Instead of a base of rice, which is common in burrito bowls, this recipe is made with quinoa. It cooks up in the same amount of time frozen chicken does and it has a great deal more protein than rice.
- Chicken: You can cook up boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in the stock as the quinoa cooks, or you can dice up leftover chicken and add it once the quinoa is cooked. Feel free to omit the chicken for a vegetarian dish.
- Stock: I love to use chicken stock in for additional flavor in this meal, but you can also use vegetable broth or water.
- Salsa: Salsa adds incredible flavor to this recipe, but you can also use Homemade Salsa Verde, Homemade Salsa, or a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies.
- Peppers and Onions: You can use fresh slices of frozen peppers and onions instead of frozen slices. However, frozen peppers and onions are a great money saver and I always have them on hand.
- Toppings: To really add flavor to these fajita bowls, top with shredded cheese, diced onions, diced tomatoes, avocado, and sour cream.
How to Make Chicken Fajita Bowl
- In a large stock pan or dutch oven, mix together stock, salsa, frozen peppers and onions, and taco seasoning together.
- Submerge the chicken breasts in the quinoa mixture.
- Bring the quinoa mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken and quinoa are both cooked through.
- Serve with any desired toppings.
More 30-Minute Gluten-Free Meals
Chicken Fajita Bowls is a great meal to make with freezer and pantry staples. You can have a delicious meal in less than 30 minutes straight from kitchen staples.
Chicken Fajita Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups frozen pepper and onion blend
- 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
- 1 pound chicken breasts
Optional Toppings
- sour cream, green onions, shredded cheese
Instructions
- Mix together chicken stock, salsa, peppers and onions, seasoning, and quinoa together in a large stock pan. Add in whole pieces of chicken and sumbruge in the liquids.
- Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed most of the liquid and chicken is cooked through.
- Serve with any of the desired toppings.
Notes
- You can cook up boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in the stock as the quinoa cooks, or you can dice up leftover chicken and add once the quinoa is cooked. Feel free to omit the chicken for a vegetarian dish.
- Feel free to add in some cooked beans as well as chicken, or in place of the chicken if desired.
- In place of the homemade fajita seasoning, use 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon each of salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and ¼ teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder.
- You can use fresh slices of frozen peppers and onions instead of frozen slices.
Kerrie Nelson
Thank you! I'm new to IP cooking. How would I change the recipe for the IP? (I mostly cook with fresh chicken but would I need to alter an IP recipe for frozen chicken)? Does anything change if I use fresh or frozen veggies? Can I add canned beans (does it matter if I use fresh or frozen chicken)? Sorry for all the questions, trying to learn! 🙂 Thank you for your help!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kerrie! I have not made this particular recipe in the Instant Pot, but here is how I would personally go about it. I would saute chunks of chicken with onions and peppers, until chicken just about cooked. Hit cancel and then add in 1 cup of stock to your inner pot to scrape up browned bits. Add in 1 cup of quinoa, seasoning, and beans if using. Seal your Instant Pot and cook on high for 1 minute. Then let pressure release naturally. If you have an 8 quart instant pot, you will need to use 1.5 cups of stock and 1.5 cups of quinoa (it is a 1:1 ratio in the Instant Pot). I hope you enjoy!
xraygirl32
Are the pepper and onion strips just sliced red peppers and sliced onions or are they seasoned? I am Canadian and not familiar with this product.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there! They are just sliced (so feel free to use fresh) 🙂
Amy
Can I cook this with FROZEN chicken breasts....? Thank you.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Amy! If you want to cook this with frozen chicken breasts in the pressure cooker, set to high pressure for 12 minutes (so not the rice function--which is low pressure) and increase the liquid by 1/4 cup. The quinoa dosen't need that long to cook, but with the extra liquid, it should be fine 🙂
If cooking on the stove-top, simmer frozen chicken with stock and seasonings for 15 minutes before adding the quinoa and cooking for an additonal 20 minutes.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cherryl Nance
This looks amazing!! Could I double it in my instapot and if so,how much additional time should I add? I’m going to deer camp and those guys are hungry:)
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Cheryl!! Yes, after hunting anyone is hungry!!! When you double a recipe in the Instant Pot, you should not need to increase the time. The time to get to pressure may increase slightly, as will the time to release pressure (for this recipe, you want to not do a release of pressure for at least 10 minutes.) Just be sure NOT to exceed your maximum fill time. Enjoy!
Lori
Can this recipe be doubled in the instant pot? If so, would it be cooked for the same amount of time?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lori! I have not doubled this recipe for the instant pot, but based on other recipes I have successfully doubled, I would increase cooking time to 15 minutes verses the 12. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Debra C.
Such a delicious meal in a bowl, I'm all over this dish, YUM!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Debra!
Brandi Crawford
This is absolutely amazing. Looks so healthy and tasty!
Kristen Chidsey
I promise it is 🙂
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Totally agree a stocked pantry (and freezer) is the key to making great meals at home. Sure I love the fact that if I lived in Italy I would visit the markets everyday to get fresh ingredients. Busy families need nutritious food, not take out. This is a perfect example of how easy it can be...with a little planning of course.
Kristen Chidsey
What a dream to live next to fresh markets!! I think I would spend probably too much time there!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
I don't know what it is about quinoa bowls that I love so much! They are so satisfying and filling and can be made with so many different flavors. Mexican is always my favorite way to prepare them. This looks healthy and simple enough to make any night of the week!
Kristen Chidsey
Karen if quinoa and Mexican are your things--you are going to LOVE these bowls!
Glamorous Glutton
That looks so deliciously healthy and the colours are amazing. GG
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much!