Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl

This Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl is brought to you by Peapod. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanksfor supporting the brands that support Shared Appetite!

And just like that, it's a new year. Also known asstop being a fatty Chris and start eating healthier. I've been "round" for pretty much my entire life, so I feel like it's become the norm for each New Year to coincide with a self-help promise to eat healthier and make better food decisions.

The problem is... I love food. A lot. Eating is pretty much my favorite thing ever. But I love Olivia more. And she needs her Daddy around for a long time. That's whyI lost about 50 pounds last year, which I'm super proud of. But those darn holidays. They totally got the better of me, and now it's time to get back on track.

Here's the thing. Eating healthy can be really, truly terrible. I know. I've been on diets pretty much my whole life. Can I tell you the secret? Eat amazing food.Seriously. Eat food with huge, delicious, irresistible flavors. Just stop eating crap, and cookreal food.

I've been on a huge Greek foodkick lately. Not only does it have super bright and fresh flavors, it's also remarkably healthy. That's the type of food craving I can get behind right now. And thisepic Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl... well, I could eat this every night because I'm officially obsessed.

We start out with some quinoa. I've been told that's a healthy grain, so let's load up. Top it with some grilled chicken that's been marinated heavily with those seriously legit Greek flavors... lemon, olive oil, oregano, garlic. Pretty much the marinade dreams are made of. And yes, I grilled this chicken on our outdoor gas grill in frigid 20 degree winter weather. #worthit

Then it gets fun.

Creamy hummus. Salty feta. A bright and acidic tahini sauce. And of course, a super simple and fresh Israeli salad. Gotta admit, I'm not a big cucumber guy. But when it comes to Israeli salad, I always make an exception. It's delicious and irreplaceablein this Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl.

You already heard in my last post forCranberry Brie Puffs with Candied Walnutsthat I absolutely lovePeapod. I literally do all my food shopping on my computer andit gets delivered to my door. Do you know when I like to food shop? At 11pm. Seriously. The wife and baby are in bed, and I get to just relax on my couch with my laptop and plan out our weekly meals. And thanks to Peapod, it's a reality. All the ingredients for this Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl? Ordered from my couch. Boom.

And I LOVE that you can simply re-order past purchases andcan auto fill your cart with frequently purchased items. It's totally a time saver!

Need help making healthy choices? Peapod has you covered with their search filters. They also list nutritional information for all their products so you know exactly what you're purchasing. You know what gets meevery time at the grocery store... impulse buys. Since I'm shopping on Peapod's website, I can totally avoid that on-sale ice cream. I have my list, I get what I need, and it gets delivered right to my door. Winning.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
½ cup olive oil
6 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups cooked quinoa
10 ounces good-quality store bought hummus
Israeli Salad (recipe below)
Tahini Sauce (recipe below)
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Parsley, chopped, for garnish

for the Israeli Salad

1 cucumber, peeled and seeds removed, finely diced
2 plum tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, finely diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

for the Tahini Sauce

¼ cup tahini
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

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Instructions

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and a big pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in a ziploc bag. Add chicken, toss to coat, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight*.
When ready to eat, preheat grill over medium-high heat and grill chicken breasts until just cooked through. Let cooked chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Divide cooked quinoa between 4 bowls. Topped with sliced grilled chicken, a spoonful of hummus, Israeli salad, a generous drizzle of tahini sauce, and a sprinkle of feta cheese and parsley. Devour immediately.

for the Israeli Salad

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated (although the cucumbers and tomatoes texture will change a bit), make sure to stir well before serving.

for the Tahini Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Season with Kosher salt. If a thinner consistency is desired, add a little more water. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to a week.

Notes

*I marinate the chicken before going to bed the night before, and then by the time you are ready to grill your chicken the next day, it's FULL of flavor.
**the total prep time doesn't include marinating time

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins

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