Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls a go-to meal prep option. Complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats all piled into a bowl and hanging out in the refrigerator ready to go!
Pin Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls for later!
Last week I shared these quinoa stuffed peppers, and this week.... Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls! Yep, I'm killing January (at least in the food department - the whole exercise everyday thing, well.. there's always next year).
I'm super excited to share with you one of my favorite-go-to-meals as of late. Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls are easy to throw together, use minimal ingredients AND can be stored in the refrigerator, fully assembled for up to 4 days. I like to spend Monday morning making 3-4 and enjoy them for lunch throughout the week. Alternatively, you could serve them to the family for dinner. They are easily customized - want more chicken? No problem. Hate Butternut Squash? Use Sweet Potatoes. Kids freaked out by all things Green? Skip on the spinach. Macro Bowls are more of an "idea" than a recipe that that needs to be followed step-by-step.
So, if you're looking for the kind of recipe that makes you feel healthier just for eating it, I got ya! Let's make Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls shall we?
WHAT ARE MACRO BOWLS?
Macro bowls are the "choose your own adventure" of recipes. Typically they combine a complex carb base in the form of a grain, raw or cooked veggies, a protein and a healthy fat.
WHAT CAN I PUT IN MY MACRO BOWLS?
Honestly, it can be anything. That said, if you' re like me, you like specific ideas and examples. You got it.
PROTEIN - chicken, seasoned turkey sausage, ground beef, chopped steak, pulled pork
GRAINS - brown rice or quinoa
FATS - avocado, hummus, an oil-based homemade dressing
RAW/ COOKED VEGETABLES - spinach, red peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, squash, zucchini
HOW DO I MAKE HONEY-LIME CHICKEN MACRO BOWLS?
Creating a macro bowl basically means that you prepare 4 -5 "mini recipes." Once all the components are ready... you just pile it in a bowl.
- Make the Salsa Verde Chicken.
- Roast the Butternut Squash.
- Microwave the brown rice and stir in some fresh spinach at the end.
- Whip up the honey-lime dressing (3 -ingredients)
- Assemble your bowl.
FAQ's ABOUT HONEY-LIME CHICKEN MACRO BOWLS:
CAN I USE FROZEN BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN MY MACRO BOWL?
You can! I have used both fresh and frozen, both are great. To make frozen squash that isn't "mushy" place a sheet pan into the oven while it's preheating so that it's nice and hot. Once the oven is preheated, drop the frozen squash straight onto the hot pan, spray with olive oil, toss and spray again. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Tastes great every time!
CAN I USED FROZEN BROWN RICE IN MY MACRO BOWL?
Absolutely. I recommend, it. Unless you are a rice connoisseur (and some people are, lol), you won't even notice a difference. I personally just pop a steamable bag into the microwave for 3 minutes. Easy + done.
CAN I USE A PROTEIN OTHER THAN THE SALSA VERDE CHICKEN?
Again, these bowls are customizable. I have used Italian sausage, a grocery-bought roasted chicken, leftover meatballs from dinner the night before, etc. You can't get this one wrong. You whatever you have available will be perfect.
CAN HONEY-LIME CHICKEN MACRO BOWLS BE MADE IN ADVANCE?
They can, AND I recommend it! Hold off on pouring the honey-lime dressing over the bowl until you are ready to eat, otherwise.. it can get soggy. The bowls will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days as long as they are covered. The honey-lime dressing is good for a week (and delicious on just about everything).
CAN I SWAP OUT INGREDIENTS IN MY MACRO BOWL?
Absolutely. There is NO wrong. I often make these bowls with Organic Pre-Cooked Apple Chicken Sausage + quinoa in place of the salsa verde chicken and brown rice. It's delicious. I also skip the spinach about ½ of the time simply because I don't have any on hand or don't feel up to messing with it.
Print
Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 large bowls 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls a go-to meal prep option. Complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats all piled into a bowl and hanging out in the refrigerator ready to go!
Ingredients
For the honey-lime dressing:
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 Tbs. honey
- salt and pepper to taste
For the salsa verde chicken:
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 8 oz. salsa verde
For the vegetables:
- 25 ounces of cubed butternut squash - I purchase mine frozen
- 5 oz. baby spinach leaves
For the grains:
- 2 cups prepared brown rice - I use frozen and prepare in microwave
Instructions
For the honey-lime dressing:
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine all ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are mixed. Store covered in the refrigerator. You will need to shake or stir the dressing each time before use.
For the salsa verde chicken:
- Arrange the chicken into a single layer at the bottom of an Instant Pot. Top with salsa verde. If you don't have an IP, see the notes below for a stove version of this chicken.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the pressure valve. Cook chicken on high pressure for 6-8 minutes (6 minutes for chicken pieces that are 6 oz. and 8 minutes for chicken pieces that are 8-10 oz.). The Instant Pot will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure and then the countdown clock will start.
- Allow the Instant Pot to release naturally for 10 minutes after cooking concludes and then open the pressure valve.
- Shred chicken in the juices using 2 forks or a handheld mixer. Set aside.
For the butternut squash:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees with a baking sheet inside. Once the oven reaches temperature, remove the hot baking sheet and arrange the squash into a single layer (if using frozen do not thaw first). Spray squash with olive oil spray and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast veggies in the oven for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
For the brown rice + spinach
- Prepare your rice according to your preferred method. While the cooked rice is VERY hot, stir in the spinach. It will wilt from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
To Assemble Honey-Lime Macro Bowls:
- Into each of 4 bowls, add ¼ of the brown rice/spinach, butternut squash, chicken and honey-lime dressing. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- If you don't have an instant pot - follow recipe directions, but place salsa verde chicken ingredients into a glass baking dish. Cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes - 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the chicken breast.
- If your spinach does not wilt completely, use a microwave safe bowl and add 1 Tbs of water to the spinach rice mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and cook for 1-2 additional minutes.
Keywords: macro bowl, chicken
Let's Be Friends:
You can find Simply Sissom on Instagram where I share even more recipes (some that aren’t on the blog), behind the scenes pics and videos AND tips and tricks to make healthy eating realistic for your busy family.
Did you make this recipe? If you tried the recipe, I would love to see it and have you share! Tag me @simplysissom using the hashtag #simplysissom.
Recipes Like Honey-Lime Chicken Macro Bowls:
Chicken Burrito Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Dressing:
Leave a Reply