This dairy-free, gluten-free chicken taco bowl is crunchy, creamy and packed with veggies and fiber. It’s also great for meal prep.
Why you’ll love this Chicken Taco Bowl recipe:
A healthier spin- This taco bowl was inspired by my love of the Rubio’s California Bowl. However, mine incorporates sautéed vegetables in place of the rice, and a delicious Avocado Dressing instead of a chipotle crema to keep it dairy free. This taco bowl is also naturally gluten free and high fiber.
Perfect for meal prep- Some weeks I like to prep a bunch of chicken knowing I’ll be using it in salads and bowls. You can also easily prepare the dressing and/or vegetables ahead of time to make dinner during the week even easier.
Ingredients for Chicken Taco Bowl:
Avocado oil- Provides healthy fat for cooking chicken and helps to brown it a little. I prefer cooking with avocado oil since it can withstand a higher smoking point. However, you could use any neutral cooking oil.
Chicken breast- Drying the chicken breast helps it to brown, which gives it more flavor. You can substitute ground beef, fish like mahi-mahi or even tofu in these taco bowls to fit your dietary preferences.
Taco seasoning- This spice blend gives the chicken so much flavor. I prefer to buy this spice blend because it tastes amazing and saves me time making my own spice blend. However, you can absolutely make your own blend with spices like cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, etc.
Bell pepper- Sautéed bell pepper are sweet and add a soft texture compared to the crunchy cabbage and tender chicken. Did you know that the color of the pepper depends on how ripe it is? Bell peppers are green, then yellow then red. They get slightly sweeter as they ripen so pick the color based on the flavor you want!
Onion- Caramelized onions add a slight sweetness to these taco bowls. Onions are nutrient dense, packed with antioxidants and are high in fiber. You can more about the health benefits of onions here.
Zucchini- Zucchinis, also called courgettes, are one of my favorite vegetables because they are incredibly adaptable. Zucchinis have a myriad of health benefits, including helping to reduce blood sugar spikes from meals because of it’s high fiber content.
Cabbage- You can absolutely shred your own cabbage. However, it’s so convenient having this mix on hand because it lasts well and can be thrown in many different recipes. I also appreciate the addition of carrots in this mix. The raw cabbage adds such a nice crunchy texture to these chicken taco bowls.
Corn- You can use leftover cooked corn on the cob or you can make you life easier by using frozen corn! I used to think that fresh vegetables were superior to frozen but have since learned that isn’t necessarily the case. Vegetables are frozen at peak freshness, retaining many of the nutrients and taste. You can read a little more about fresh vs frozen vegetables here.
Beans- You can use either black or pinto beans for these taco bowls. I enjoy beans as the main carbohydrate of this dish because they are high in fiber, relatively low on the glycemic index and so filling.
Avocado Dressing- My family is obsessed with this Creamy Vegan Avocado Dressing. It’s bright, thick and so easy to make. It lasts for about a week in the refrigerator since the lemon juice keeps the avocado from oxidizing, so it makes this taco bowl a great option for meal prep.
Looking for more dinner ideas?
Check out more main dish recipes here.
Chicken Taco Bowl
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1-2 tsp salt
- t Tbsp taco seasoning
Vegetables
- 1 bell pepper, large dice
- 1 small yellow onion, large dice
- 1 small zucchini, large dice
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 2 1/2 cups bag cabbage mix (about 9 or 10 oz bag)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 1-2 tsp salt
- 1 can beans (black or pinto)
Avocado Dressing
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1-2 lemon, juiced
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp Tajin or chili lime seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cube chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch. Dry the chicken with a paper towel and season with taco spice and salt.
- Place a large sauté pan on medium-low heat while dicing bell pepper, onion and zucchini. Add avocado oil and chopped vegetables to the pan and increase to medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook until tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- While vegetables are cooking, place another large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil then seasoned chicken to the pan. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes on each side.
- Add garlic and frozen corn to the cooked vegetable pan. Once cooked, season with salt and pepper.
- While the vegetables and chicken are cooking, make the avocado dressing by combining the avocado, lemon juice, water, hot sauce, salt and chili lime seasoning in a blender and blend well. Adjust seasoning and consistency as needed.
- Open and drain the can of beans.
- Assemble a portion by placing about 3/4 cup of cabbage in a bowl and topping it with about a quarter of the vegetable mix, chicken, can of beans and a few spoons of the avocado dressing.
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