Salsa Chicken Bowls

Our Registered Dieititans love a quick weekday meal that comes together in the crockpot. Our shredded salsa chicken bowls are the perfect weekday dinner or lunch prep idea!

If you want a new meal to add to your meal prep routine, our nutritionists highly suggest salsa chicken burrito bowls! Salsa chicken is a fantastic protein to prep in your slow cooker or Instant Pot at the beginning of the week. You can reheat it for a balanced salsa chicken bowl or add it to a variety of other meals like taco salad, chicken quesadillas, or high-protein nachos!

Our burrito bowls feature salsa chicken, a sour cream lime crema, guacamole, and an assortment of canned and fresh ingredients including black beans, corn, lettuce, jalapeño, and tomatoes. Use this recipe as inspiration and get creative with your own unique combinations! For example, you can customize your bowl by adding sautéed peppers and onions, grated cheddar cheese, or cilantro-lime rice.

SALSA CHICKEN BOWLS

DIETITIAN NOTE: this recipe serves 4-6 depending on appetite.

INGREDIENTS

SALSA CHICKEN

• 4 chicken breast
• 2 cups salsa

CORN & BLACK BEAN SALSA

• 1 can (19 oz) black beans
• 1 can (12oz) corn
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 jalapeño, finely diced
• 1 lime, juiced and zested
• ½ teaspoon salt

LIME CREMA

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 lime, juiced 
• 1 clove of garlic, finely grated
• ¼ teaspoon salt

GUACAMOLE

• 2 avocados
• 1 lime, juiced 
• pinch of salt and garlic powder

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS:

• lettuce, rice, salsa, cheese, pickled onion, hot sauce, cilantro, others.

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the salsa chicken by adding the chicken breast to an Instant Pot or slow cooker. If using the Instant Pot, set to the poultry setting to pressure cook. If using the slow cooker, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. When the chicken has finished cooking, shred with a fork!
2. Prepare the corn and bean salsa by draining and rinsing a can of black beans and corn. Then, chop the tomatoes, bell pepper, tomato, and jalapeño. Add all of the salsa ingredients to a large mixing bowl and add the juice and zest of a lime and salt. Mix to combine and set in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. To make the lime crema, simply whisk together the sour cream, water lime juice, grated garlic, and salt. If you'd like a thinner consistency for drizzling, then simply add more water or lime juice.
4. Prepare the guacamole by smashing two avocados and then adding fresh lime juice, salt, and garlic powder to taste.
5. Prepare the salsa chicken bowls by layering the corn and bean salsa, chicken, and optional add-ins like lettuce or rice in a bowl. Then add a generous scoop of guacamole and a drizzle of the lime crema!

Note: we've listed this recipe as serving 4 but you'll likely have some leftover salsa chicken to use in tacos, quesadillas, nachos, or for leftover salsa chicken bowls. 

KITCHEN TOOLS

• Instant Pot or slow cooker
• Colander
• Grater (for grating garlic and zesting lime)
• Cutting Board
• Knife

DIETITIAN TIPS

Our team of Registered Dietitians work closely with their one-on-one nutrition coaching clients to menu plan for their personal goals or for their family's unique needs. This recipe contains the four food groups we recommended our clients include in most meals:

• Protein: 30g of protein coming from the salsa chicken
• Fat: guacamole and sour cream as a fat source 
• Volume: lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeño as nutrient-dense add-ins
• Carbohydrate: corn and beans for carbs
• 'Fun' Extras: hot sauce, cilantro, etc.

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO BUILD MEALS FOR YOUR GOALS?

Our team of Registered Dietitian support clients through nutrition counselling and coaching to teach them how to build balanced meals and snacks to reach their specific goals. After working with our dietitians you'll understand how to build meals to suit your preferences and have concrete meal and snack ideas to implement into your day! You can book with a dietitian here to get started on your journey!