Chicken Pesto Buddha Bowls with Asparagus and Brown Rice

Name: Chicken Pesto Buddha Bowls with Asparagus and Brown Rice
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked brown rice; 2 cups cherry tomatoes; 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; ¼ teaspoon dried oregano; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 pound asparagus, trimmed; 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks; ¼ cup prepared basil pesto

Marrekus and Krysten Wilkes Website

Chicken Pesto Buddha Bowls with Asparagus and Brown Rice

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According to reliable sources on internet, a buddha bowl is so-called because it's served in a bowl, and packed to the brim with good-for-you ingredients resulting in a rounded appearance (similar to a buddha's belly.) They've become super trendy over the past few years, and for good reason: the bowls are a great way to get much of your vegetables, nutrients and vitamins for the day in one place, and the layered ingredients provide tons of flavor and texture variety. This delicious recipe takes classic chicken and pesto with a healthy twist: instead of pasta, the chicken is paired with cooked brown rice, cherry tomatoes and asparagus.

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Directions

Mealthy Tip

The beauty of buddha bowls is their customization. For different flavor, try peanut sauce or a miso dressing instead of the peanut sauce. Instead of brown rice, use another hearty grain like quinoa or farro. Vegetarian? Substitute cubed tofu for the chicken.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 560 calories; 24g fat; 43.2g carbohydrates; 44g protein; 100mg cholesterol; 258mg sodium.

Full nutrition

Amount Per Serving
Calories 560		Calories from Fat 214
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g		37%
	Saturated Fat 4g	22%
	Trans Fat 0.0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 4.1g
	Monounsaturated Fat 13.6g
Cholesterol 100mg		33%
Sodium 258mg		11%
Total Carbohydrate 43.2g		14%
	Dietary Fiber 6g	24%
	Sugars 3.6g
Protein 44g

Vitamin A 39%		Vitamin C 32%
Calcium 8%		Iron 20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories:	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		Less than	65g	80g
	Saturated Fat	Less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		Less than	300mg	300 mg
Sodium		Less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Calories per gram:

Fat 9 • Carbohydrate 4 • Protein 4

Tagged:

Mediterranean American Fusion Quick And Easy Ready In 30 Lunch Dinner Weeknight Dairy-free Chicken Chicken Breast Brown Rice Asparagus Prepared Pesto Grains

Reviews

4.5out of 5 Stars

(6 Reviews)

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What others are saying

Sam Dalton says:

I've made this a couple times for my weekly meal prep! It's a really easy recipe, especially if you have pesto already prepared.

Greg Jones says:

I've made these bowls twice, once with brown rice and once with quinoa. I enjoyed it both ways. Asparagus is always a good choice, and pesto chicken as well. Great recipe for meal prep, lunch or dinner.

DC Cote says:

The homemade basil pesto recipe was the best part of this dish. I used roma tomatoes and added broccoli to the bowl with the asparagus. This is great for lunch.

Rachel Douglas says:

I should have followed the basil pesto recipe but I used stored bought (the kind that comes in a jar) and I am not impressed with the way it turned out. I just feel like something was missing from this bowl, maybe it needed more sauce? This would get 5 points from me for ingredients and concept, but I'm giving it three because it needs more sauce and a homemade pesto instead of store-bought.

Sheila Long says:

I substituted chicken for tofu instead and used quinoa instead of brown rice. Perfect for lunch or dinner.

Jill Hooper says:

This was definitely a keeper for sure. Delicious, flavorful, and quick to make. The tomatoes should cook for less time or even a lower temperature. Mine were soft after 15 min in the oven. Hint: roast your asparagus with the tomatoes and save yourself a step.