Chicken Protein Bowl

Ingredients

Maple Dijon Dressing

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Protein Bowl

• 1 ½ cup cooked quinoa, cooked according to package directions (½ cup dry quinoa)
• 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 1-1 ¼ lb
• 2 ½ Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon avocado or olive oil, dived
• ⅓ cup toasted almonds, sliced or chopped
• 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved or quartered
• 1 large sweet potato, about 2 ½ cups, roasted
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped
• Sliced avocado, for topping, optional

Instructions 

1. If you haven’t done so already, cook your quinoa according to the package directions and set aside.
2. Whisk lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic, salt, pepper and oil until well combined.
3. Scoop out 6 Tablespoons of dressing and set aside. Use the rest to marinate the chicken in a shallow dish or 1-gallon sealable plastic bag. Toss to coat and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add almonds to a baking sheet and place in oven to toast. Stir almonds after 5 minutes. Allow to toast about 5 minutes longer or until the almonds are golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and allow almonds to cool. Set aside.
5. Turn oven temperature up to 400°F. Combine sweet potatoes + brussels in large bowl with 2 Tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, tossing halfway until fork-tender.
6. When veggies are halfway start cooking chicken. Add ½ Tablespoon oil to a cast iron skillet and turn heat on medium/medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade, shake off excess and discard leftover marinade. At this point your oil should be hot. Add chicken to the skillet and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side. Once both sides of chicken are seared, move skillet from the stovetop to the oven with the veggies and bake for 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked throughout. You want the internal temp of the chicken to be 165°F. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes
7. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet and sauté chopped kale until wilted and tender, about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper on if desired.
8. To make the protein bowls, add ½ cup quinoa, kale and roasted veggies to three bowls. Top with 1 piece of chicken and 2 Tablespoons of toasted almonds. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of remaining dressing and top with sliced avocado, if desired.