Packing for a day out can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Most times we go with what is easy and filling, but not always what is the most delicious. What does that leave us with, usually a simple sandwich. Either a turkey and cheese stuffed in a sandwich bag or the classic PB & J. Now don’t get me wrong, I love me a simple sandwich now and again, but that doesn’t mean that should be your only option when you’re packing for a day out on the race track or riding through the mountain trails. Don’t sacrifice flavor for quick and easy when you can make this healthy and delicious taco bowl instead! You might want to make more than one because all of your buddies are going to want one as well! This protein packed meal is the perfect lunch on the go, or an easy option for packing in your backpack. What I truly love about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make, plus it is incredibly versatile and you can use whatever ingredients you have at home to make a taco bowl. The only part that takes any significant amount of time is cooking the rice in the rice cooker, the beans if you cook them raw. Personally I always have a can of black beans in the cupboard ready to be heated up on the stove. So take that into account if you are cooking your beans from being dried vs. canned. There really isn’t that much you need to do in this recipe so it is super quick to cook everything and toss it all together. Plus, the ingredients are relatively inexpensive so you can do it all in bulk and get your meal prep done for the week in about 30 minutes and for cheap.
What you will need:
Leafy Greens ( I prefer spinach, or a spinach mix )
Sweet Hawaiian Bell Peppers ( regular bell peppers work fine if you prefer )
Onions
Jalapeños
White rice
Black beans
Cilantro
Avocado
Tomatoes
Rustic cut Mexican Blend Cheese
Guacamole Salsa
Sour cream ( use plain Greek or Icelandic yogurt for a healthier option )
Habanero Pineapple Hot Sauce
Olive oil
Chicken Breast ( Thighs work as well if you prefer )
Salt
Pepper
Ground cumin
Butter
Since the rice is going to take the longest to finish make sure to start by washing and cleaning your rice and getting it going in the rice cooker. Next want to prep all of your veggies by dicing them up and setting them aside. Slice your chicken into strips and lightly coat it with salt, pepper and some ground cumin before you toss it into a hot cast iron with olive oil. Be sure to cook them all the way through and give each side a nice sear. While cooking your chicken squeeze some lime juice over the top with each flip. Once your chicken is cooked completely remove it from the pan and set aside on a plate, placing a towel over the top to keep it warm. Put a small slice of butter in your cast iron and toss in your diced onions, sweet peppers, and jalapeños. Sautée them in the butter until the onions began to brown and toss your chicken back into the pan and mix it together briefly to capture all the flavors before removing and setting it aside. If you timed it correctly, your rice should be finishing up right about now. Once your rice cooker lets out that all too wonderful noise to signal it is finished, you’re going to add roughly 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro and squeeze 1 entire lime over the rice. Mixing it up well so that all the rice has cilantro and lime juice on it. Now that the cooking part is finished you’re ready to dish everything up.
Grab your bowl or meal prep container and layer the bottom with your greens. Add a spoonful of rice, and then chicken and sautéed veggies. Put some black beans, cilantro, and diced tomatoes over the top. Then place a healthy dollop of sour cream (or Greek yogurt for a healthier option) in the corner and some sliced avocado in another. Top the whole thing off with some rustic cut Mexican cheese, and drizzle some of your favorite hot sauce over the top! I used my Pineapple Habanero hot sauce but whatever sauce you prefer works great too.
Now you are all set for a day of riding, hiking, or whatever adventure you are setting off on! Just be sure to bring extras to share with you friends so they don’t get too mad at you as they watch in envy while eating their plain old sandwiches.
Oh and don’t forget to toss in a fresh cut lime wedge to squeeze over it before mixing it up and eating!
Please comment how this recipe worked out for you!