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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 in my well-stocked kitchen. Made with staples like quinoa, chicken breasts, a frozen pepper 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 stock, salsa, frozen peppers 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 Easy 30-Minute Gluten-Free Meals
- Easy Fish Veracruz
- Honey Lemon Chicken Skillet
- Chili Lime Pan-Seared Tilapia
- Easy Baked Salmon
- Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy
- Instant Pot Lemon Chicken
- Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers
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 submerge into the broth.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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:)
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!
Can this recipe be doubled in the instant pot? If so, would it be cooked for the same amount of time?
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!
Such a delicious meal in a bowl, I'm all over this dish, YUM!
Thanks so much Debra!
This is absolutely amazing. Looks so healthy and tasty!
I promise it is 🙂
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.
What a dream to live next to fresh markets!! I think I would spend probably too much time there!
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!
Karen if quinoa and Mexican are your things--you are going to LOVE these bowls!
That looks so deliciously healthy and the colours are amazing. GG
Thanks so much!