Quinoa Bowl with Chicken & Mango Dressing
The mango does two jobs in this bowl. Half gets blended into a smooth dressing with mayo, lime, honey, and olive oil. The other half stays as sweet chunks scattered through the quinoa.
The chicken gets a quick rub of paprika, cumin, and a pinch of cinnamon before 5 minutes in a hot skillet. Everything comes together with raw cucumber, bell pepper strips, carrot, and black beans. 891 kcal, 39g protein, and 17g fiber — all in 20 minutes.
The mango does two jobs in this bowl. Half gets blended into a smooth dressing with mayo, lime, honey, and olive oil. The other half stays as sweet chunks scattered through the quinoa.
The chicken gets a quick rub of paprika, cumin, and a pinch of cinnamon before 5 minutes in a hot skillet. Everything comes together with raw cucumber, bell pepper strips, carrot, and black beans. 891 kcal, 39g protein, and 17g fiber — all in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- mango chunks (frozen) 3.5 ounce
- quinoa 3 ounce
- cucumber 0.5
- bell pepper 1
- carrot 1
- black beans 0.25 cup
- chicken breast 3 ounce
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- paprika (ground spice) 0.5 teaspoon
- ground cumin 0.5 teaspoon
- cinnamon 1 pinch
- mayonnaise 1 tablespoon
- lime juice 1 squeeze
- honey 1 teaspoon
Method
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Remove the mango cubes from the freezer and let them thaw in a bowl.
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Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packaging.
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Halve the cucumber and slice it diagonally. Halve the bell pepper lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice it into thin strips. Cut the carrot into strips and rinse the black beans in a colander with cold water, then let them drain well.
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Slice the chicken breast into strips and mix it in a bowl with half of the oil, paprika, cumin and cinnamon.
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Heat a skillet and cook the chicken strips in it for about 5 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.
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Prepare a dressing by placing half of the mango cubes in the blending cup of a hand blender and mixing them with mayonnaise, lime juice, honey and the other half of the olive oil. Blend until smooth.
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Assemble the bowl by combining the quinoa, the other half of the mango cubes, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, black beans and chicken strips. Season the bowl with salt and pepper and drizzle the mango dressing over the salad or serve it on the side.
Let the mango thaw completely before blending. Frozen chunks fight the hand blender and leave icy pockets in the dressing instead of that smooth, pourable consistency you want drizzled over the bowl.
Why This Works
Behind this recipe
Can I use fresh mango instead of frozen?
Fresh mango works. You will get a slightly thinner dressing since frozen chunks thaw into extra juice that adds body. Cut a ripe mango into cubes, use half for blending and half for the bowl. The flavor will be sweeter and less tart than frozen.
Does rinsing the black beans matter?
Rinsing removes the starchy canning liquid that can taste tinny and make the bowl soggy. The beans still keep their iron content after rinsing, and the raw bell pepper in this bowl brings vitamin C. Research has shown that vitamin C consumed in the same meal as plant-based iron significantly improves absorption.
Read the full evidence reviewIs 39g of protein enough for a main meal?
For most people, 39g of protein in a single meal is well within what your body can use for muscle repair and growth. Research debunked the old idea that your body caps out at 30g per sitting. The actual ceiling is much higher than that.
Read the full evidence reviewWhat can I use instead of mayonnaise in the dressing?
Greek yogurt gives you a tangier, lighter dressing with more protein. Avocado blended in works too — creamier and richer. Both options still give the mango enough body to coat the bowl without pooling at the bottom.
