This flavor-packed BBQ Chicken Bowl delivers a perfect balance of protein, fiber, and wholesome ingredients in just 50 minutes. Each hearty serving brings you 29g of lean protein and a vibrant mix of nutrients, making it an ideal choice for both meal prep and family dinners.
Whether you’re watching your macros or simply craving a satisfying meal, this 585-calorie bowl hits all the right notes with its blend of tangy barbecue flavors and nutritious components.
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Bowl
- For Chicken and Veggies: 4 chicken breast halves, 1 sliced zucchini, 1 sliced red bell pepper, 3 ears corn (or 1½ cups cooked), 1 sliced avocado, cilantro for garnish
- For Rice Base: 2 tbsp oil, ½ cup chopped onion, 1½ cups white rice, ½ tsp cumin, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 can black beans
- For BBQ Ranch Sauce: 1 cup BBQ sauce, ⅓ cup mayo, ¼ cup each of buttermilk and Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp honey, dried herbs and seasonings
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Rice Preparation: Sauté onion and rice until golden, add cumin, broth, and beans. Cook covered for 20 minutes, then let rest.
- Sauce Making: Combine all BBQ ranch ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Marinate Chicken: Coat chicken with ¾ cup BBQ ranch sauce and refrigerate for 20 minutes minimum.
- Grill Vegetables: Cook zucchini, peppers, and corn using a grill basket or grill pan until tender.
- Cook Chicken: Grill marinated chicken until thoroughly cooked, then rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Bowl Assembly: Layer rice, top with chicken, grilled veggies, avocado, and drizzle with BBQ ranch sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Cooking Techniques
This bowl brings together three main cooking methods – grilling, sautéing, and rice cooking. For the best rice, let it get slightly golden while sautéing – this adds amazing flavor! When grilling the vegetables, try to get those lovely char marks by letting them sit still for a few minutes before flipping.
For juicy chicken, let it rest after grilling – this keeps all those tasty juices inside. New to grilling? A grill pan on your stovetop works just as well!
Make It Your Own
Feel free to switch things up! Try quinoa or brown rice instead of white rice, or swap chicken for grilled shrimp or tofu. Not a fan of zucchini? Use any grilled veggies you love – mushrooms, asparagus, or eggplant would be great.
The BBQ ranch sauce is super flexible too – use all Greek yogurt instead of mayo for a lighter version, or add a dash of hot sauce if you like it spicy!
Serving Suggestions
These bowls are meant for mixing! Let everyone build their own bowl – it’s fun and keeps the vegetables crispy. Put all the components in separate dishes: the warm rice and beans, grilled chicken, colorful veggies, sliced avocado, and that yummy BBQ ranch sauce.
Add some lime wedges and extra cilantro on the side. Want to make it even better? Set out some tortilla strips, fresh jalapeños, or extra BBQ sauce!
Storage Tips
Going to have leftovers? Store each part separately in airtight containers – this keeps everything fresh and prevents sogginess. The rice and beans will stay good for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Grilled veggies and chicken last 3-4 days. The BBQ ranch sauce keeps for about a week. Want to meal prep? Make extra sauce and freeze portions of the rice and beans. Just skip the avocado until you’re ready to eat – it’s best fresh!
BBQ Chicken Bowl
Equipment
- grill or grill pan
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Chicken and Veggies
- 4 chicken breast halves or two large breasts, halved, to make 4 thin pieces
- 1 zucchini washed and sliced into 1/4″ thick rounds
- 1 red bell pepper washed, seeded and sliced
- 3 ears corn grilled, or substitute 1 ½ cups cooked corn
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded and sliced
Rice
- 2 Tablespoons oil vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
BBQ Ranch Sauce
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- For the Rice: Add oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and rice and saute, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes or until rice begins to get golden brown. Add cumin, chicken broth and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff gently with a fork. Set aside.
- For Homemade BBQ Ranch Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients and mix well in a bowl.
- For the Chicken and Veggies: Meanwhile, place chicken in a shallow dish and baste with ¾ cup BBQ Ranch Dressing. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- To grill the zucchini and bell peppers you can use a grill basket and cook them over medium heat on the grill, or use a grill pan on the stove. You can also cook the ears of corn on the grill or on the grill pan on the stove.
- After the veggies are cooked, add the marinated chicken to the grill over medium heat. Cook for several minutes, flipping once, until cooked through. Remove to a plate to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
- Spoon cooked rice into bowls. Top with chopped, cooked chicken, grilled zucchini, bell peppers, corn and sliced avocado. Drizzle BBQ Ranch Sauce on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
