Cowboy caviar is classically served as a colourful dip loaded with beans, vegetables, and jalapeño. In our version, we've utilized this appetizer to create a Cowboy Caviar bowl completed with potatoes and BBQ chicken for a full meal!

Cowboy Caviar, otherwise known as Texas Caviar, is an appetizer that is loaded with beans, vegetables, and a delicious dressing. Cowboy Caviar is classically served with tortilla chips as a dip but we created our own twist on this recipe by serving it as a bowl with sweet potato and BBQed chicken! You can swap the potatoes for rice or choose a different protein source like salmon, pork tenderloin, or steak.

COWBOY CAVIAR BOWLS

INGREDIENTS

COWBOY (TEXAS) CAVIAR

• 1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (12 oz) corn, drained
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced
•  ½ red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced (or 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• optional: avocado, cilantro, and hot sauce.

SWEET POTATOES

• 2 large sweet potatoes (or 4 small), cubed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• salt and pepper

BBQ CHICKEN

• 4 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the Cowboy Caviar by draining and rinsing the canned black beans and corn in a colander and chopping the vegetables including the bell peppers, tomatoes, jalapeno, and red onion. Add the beans and vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Prepare the dressing by adding the olive oil, lime juice or red wine vinegar, honey, chili powder, cumin, and salt to a small jar. Shake the jar to combine the dressing. Pour the dressing over the beans and vegetables. Set the Texas Caviar mixture in the fridge.
2. Chop the sweet potatoes into small cubes. Toss with olive oil, cumin, chilli powder, salt, and pepper. Spread the sweet potatoes on a parchment lined baking tray and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the sweet potato can be easily pierced with a fork. If preferred, serve the meal with rice instead of sweet potato.
3. While the potatoes cook, prepare the chicken by sprinkling cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper on each side of the chicken. Then, heat the BBQ and grill the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through (about 10-12 minutes total).
4. When the potatoes are cooked, assemble the bowls with a scoop of potato, a generous portion of Cowboy Caviar, and sliced chicken. Garnish with sliced avocado and lime wedges if desired. Serve with hot sauce as an optional condiment.

DIETITIAN THOUGHTS

At Vitality Nutrition our nutritionists encourage clients to build balanced meals using the Fundamental Four model we teach inside our online course and nutrition coaching programs. The Fundamental Four includes four food groups that each offer unique benefits to blood sugar management, energy levels, sport performance and recovery, and more. Cowboy Caviar offers a few of our food groups and the meal is completed with a hearty source of protein from the chicken!

• Protein: grilled chicken and some protein in the black beans
• Fat: olive oil and avocado for serving
• Volume: bell peppers, tomato, onion
• Carbs: sweet potatoes, corn, and beans

Our dietitians teach you to build meal and snack ideas that are unique to your personal goals whether that be managing a chronic condition, changing body composition, improving energy, building a healthy relationship with food, supporting hormones, or navigating changes in the lifecycle like a pregnancy, breastfeeding, peri-menopause or menopause, and more! Balanced meals with the four food groups as found in this Texas Caviar Chicken Bowl is a foundational habits to get you started on your journey.
 

KITCHEN TOOLS

Links to kitchen tools we used in this recipe. 

• Colander 
• Mixing bowl
• Small Jar (to prepare dressing)
• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Baking tray
• BBQ tools
• Serving Bowls
• Hot Sauce (we love this one!)

MORE RECIPES!

Looking for more recipes with beans? Try our fiesta salmon rice bowl.

If you are looking for support from a Registered Dietitian to plan balanced, nutritious, and quick meals then click here to learn more about our services. Our team of Registered Dietitians supports clients in-person in Saskatoon and Regina and virtually across Saskatchewan as well as virtually in Western Canada including Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Kelowna, Victoria, Vancouver, and beyond!