Southwest Chicken Protein Bowls (Gluten-Free)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Southwest Chicken Protein Bowls are packed with flavor and all the good stuff! We’re talking taco-seasoned chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed peppers and onions, black beans, corn, creamy avocado, and fresh salsa. Add a squeeze of lime, some fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of homemade hot honey if you love a little sweet heat! They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and perfect for meal prepping or an easy weeknight dinner.
I’m sure it’s no surprise by now that I LOVE a good bowl meal! There’s just something about throwing a bunch of yummy ingredients, flavors, and textures together in one bowl that makes dinner so much more fun. They’re super easy to throw together, and they’re great for kids because everyone can customize their own bowl with the ingredients and toppings they love. It’s an easy dinner win for the whole family! Plus, they come together with just 15 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking.
What Makes These Southwest Chicken Protein Bowls So Good?
It’s all about the combination of flavors! The sweet potatoes create a delicious base with a little natural sweetness, while the chicken is seasoned with homemade taco seasoning for that savory Southwest flavor.
Black beans and corn add even more texture, and the sautéed onions and bell peppers bring sweetness and depth. Then you get the fresh toppings: salsa, creamy avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to brighten everything up. And if you love a little sweet heat, homemade hot honey drizzled over the top takes these bowls to another level. It’s an optional finishing touch, but one our household never skips!
You might spot my Caraway pan in this picture and other recipes! I use my Caraway pans all the time in my kitchen, and I genuinely love them. Anything that makes cooking for my family a little easier and CLEAN is a win in my book! If you’ve been thinking about trying Caraway or replacing your own cookware, you can use my discount code to save a little, too! Use this link and code: NikkiRoss for 10% off sitewide!
Substitutions & Customizing
One of my favorite things about these Southwest Chicken Protein Bowls is how versatile they are. You can use the same base recipe and switch up the ingredients depending on what you have in the fridge.
Protein: You can use different protein such as ground turkey or beef, steak, shrimp, or tofu and the bowls turn out great!
Sweet potato base: switch it up with butternut squash or swap out the starch for rice, try this homemade Mexican Rice. We love these bowls with rice, but there’s just something about that sweet potato flavor that is next level.
Black beans: you can substitute black beans with your favorite beans. I typically just use whatever i have on hand like kidney or pinto beans.
Add more veggies: Sneaking in more veggies is always a great idea! We mix it up with roasted broccoli, cauliflower, shredded lettuce or spinach, and roasted poblano or jalapeno peppers.
Toppings: you can never go wrong with more flavor and texture, so we like guacamole, fresh Pico de gallo, pickled red onions, dairy-free sour cream or cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.
How to Meal Prep These Bowls
These bowls are perfect for meal prep because the chicken, sweet potatoes, and cooked vegetables all reheat well. Just prepare each component of these bowls as instructed, then you can either store items:
- Separately in the fridge until you are ready to assemble
- Store chicken, sweet potatoes, peppers and onions, black beans and corn in one container (all ingredients that would need to be reheated) and lettuce, avocado cilantro and lime wedges in a separate container.
When you’re ready to eat, reheat the chicken and vegetables until warmed through, then add your fresh toppings. This makes weekday lunches so much easier without having to sacrifice flavor!
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Steak Fajita Skewers with Chimichurri
- Easy Gluten-Free Burrito Bowls
- Homemade Taco & Fajita Seasoning
- Fresh Pico De Gallo
- Gluten-Free Enchilada Casserole
I cannot wait for you to give this yummy recipe a try! Please snap a picture and share it with me! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day and encourages me to keep creating new allergy friendly recipes for you!
Save This Recipe
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from me!
Southwest Chicken Protein Bowls
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts cubed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 red bell pepper seeds removed and diced
- 1 onion diced
Sweet Potatoes:
- 2 sweet potatoes 1/2" cubed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- salt and pepper
Assembly and Toppings:
- 1 can black beans drained
- 1 can corn drained
- hot honey for drizzle
- salsa
- lime wedges
- cilantro
- 1 avocado sliced
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine cubed chicken and taco seasoning. Toss so all of the chicken is coated in the seasoning. Set aside, while you chop veggies and prepare sweet potatoes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine cubed sweet potato, avocado oil, and salt and pepper. Toss so all of the sweet potato is coated in seasoning. Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 20-22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While sweet potatoes bake, cook the chicken. In a large frying pan, heat avocado oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and sauté 3 minutes, or until both become fragrant. Add chicken and mix well to combine veggies. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through.
- Assemble the bowls: Start with the base of the bowl like sweet potatoes or lettuce and rice, if using. Top with cooked chicken, peppers and onions, black beans, corn and avocado. Garnish bowls with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, salsa, and whatever toppings you like.
Notes
- Separately in the fridge until you are ready to assemble
- Store chicken, sweet potatoes, peppers and onions, black beans and corn in one container (all ingredients that would need to be reheated) and lettuce, avocado cilantro and lime wedges in a separate container.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
