I absolutely love the flavors of a classic caprese salad—you can’t beat vine-ripened tomatoes, peppery fresh basil, and creamy fresh mozzarella. Top it with a balsamic drizzle, and I’m a happy girl!
But as much as I love it, sometimes a simple caprese salad just isn’t quite filling enough to be a meal on its own. So I fixed that by turning the flavors of caprese into a fresh and filling meal prep grain bowl! When you add in cooked grains (I like quinoa) and chopped cooked chicken (this is a great way to use leftover rotisserie chicken), you get a perfectly filling meal prep lunch!
What exactly is a grain bowl?
A grain bowl is exactly what it sounds like—a bowl filled with hearty grains and topped with delicious and nourishing mix-ins. Grain bowls are perfectly suited for meal prep, making them an easy option for lunch or dinner.
You can always switch up your grains or mix-ins so you don’t feel like you’re eating the same meal every time. Grain bowls offer tons of flexibility. They can easily be put together assembly-line style with ingredients stored in the fridge, and tossed together in just a few minutes! Assemble your grain bowl the night before for a healthy work lunch or dinner the next day. Learn more about making the perfect grain bowl in our comprehensive How to Make Awesome Grain Bowls article.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa (others grains work as well – rice, farro, millet)
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella (chopped or small balls)
1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is great for this)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
¼ cup Italian Dressing or Balsamic Vinaigrette
Instructions:
In a glass container, layer the quinoa, mozzarella, chicken, tomatoes, and basil. Cover and stash in the fridge until ready to eat, or up to 5 days.
To serve, drizzle on the dressing, and then toss to coat. Enjoy immediately.
Notes:
I prefer this grain bowl served cold, but you can also heat it up in the microwave until just heated through for a gooey, warm grain bowl!
Fresh basil oxidizes and goes brown as soon as it is cut. This doesn’t impact the flavor, but it doesn’t look the most appetizing. If you prefer, you can place whole basil leaves in the container, and then just tear them or cut them into the bowl right before serving.
Source:https://wholefully.com/chicken-quinoa-bowl-meal-prep/
