Black Bean & Quinoa Bowls with Creamy Cilantro Sauce & Roasted Squash
Wellness Grain

Black Bean & Quinoa Bowls

with Creamy Cilantro Sauce & Roasted Squash

40 MIN
+$6.99/serving 2 Servings
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    From the Test Kitchen

    For these hearty, Mexican-style grain bowls, you’ll add pickled jalapeño pepper to a base of tricolor quinoa for a pleasant kick of heat, then top it all with spiced black beans, sweet roasted squash, zesty marinated tomatoes, creamy cilantro sauce, and toasted pepitas (or pumpkin seeds).
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    • Nutrition
      PER SERVING
    • Calories
      910 Cals (est.)
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    ingredients
    Black Bean & Quinoa Bowls with Creamy Cilantro Sauce & Roasted Squash
    Title
    • 10 oz Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces
    • 1 Delicata Or Honeynut Squash
    • ½ cup Tricolor Quinoa
    • 1 15.5-Oz Can Black Beans
    • 1 Lime
    • 4 oz Grape Tomatoes
    • 2 Tbsps Raw Pepitas
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 1 oz Sliced Pickled Jalapeño Peppers
    • 1 Tbsp Mexican Spice Blend (Ancho Chile Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Ground Cumin & Dried Mexican Oregano)
    • ¼ cup Sour Cream
    • ¼ cup Cilantro Sauce
    Prepare & roast the squash
    1 Prepare & roast the squash

    Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Line a sheet pan with foil. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash. Halve lengthwise; using a spoon, scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt, pepper, and 1/4 of the spice blend. Toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 20 to 22 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

    Cook the quinoa
    2 Cook the quinoa

    Meanwhile, add the quinoa to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

    Prepare the remaining ingredients
    3 Prepare the remaining ingredients

    Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Drain and rinse the beans. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, finely grate the lime to get 1 teaspoon of zest. Halve the lime crosswise. Halve the tomatoes; place in a bowl. Add the lime zest and the juice of 1 lime half; season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cilantro sauce, and the juice of the remaining lime half; season with salt and pepper. Roughly chop the peppers. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling.

    Cook the chicken
    4 Cook the chicken

    Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

    Toast the pepitas
    5 Toast the pepitas

    In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pepitas; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 3 minutes, or until toasted (be careful, as the pepitas may pop as they toast). Transfer to a bowl and immediately season with salt. Wipe out the pan.

    Cook the beans & serve your dish
    6 Cook the beans & serve your dish

    In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the drained beans, remaining spice blend, and 1/3 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until combined. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer half the cooked beans to the pot of cooked quinoa; add a drizzle of olive oil and as much of the chopped peppers as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Serve the finished quinoa topped with the cooked chicken, roasted squash, remaining cooked beans, marinated tomatoes (including any liquid), and creamy cilantro sauce. Garnish with the toasted pepitas. Enjoy!

    Tips from Home Chefs

    Prepare & roast the squash
    1 Prepare & roast the squash

    Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Line a sheet pan with foil. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash. Halve lengthwise; using a spoon, scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt, pepper, and 1/4 of the spice blend. Toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 20 to 22 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

    2 Cook the quinoa

    Meanwhile, add the quinoa to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

    Cook the quinoa
    Prepare the remaining ingredients
    3 Prepare the remaining ingredients

    Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Drain and rinse the beans. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, finely grate the lime to get 1 teaspoon of zest. Halve the lime crosswise. Halve the tomatoes; place in a bowl. Add the lime zest and the juice of 1 lime half; season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cilantro sauce, and the juice of the remaining lime half; season with salt and pepper. Roughly chop the peppers. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling.

    4 Cook the chicken

    Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

    Cook the chicken
    Toast the pepitas
    5 Toast the pepitas

    In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pepitas; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 3 minutes, or until toasted (be careful, as the pepitas may pop as they toast). Transfer to a bowl and immediately season with salt. Wipe out the pan.

    6 Cook the beans & serve your dish

    In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the drained beans, remaining spice blend, and 1/3 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until combined. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer half the cooked beans to the pot of cooked quinoa; add a drizzle of olive oil and as much of the chopped peppers as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Serve the finished quinoa topped with the cooked chicken, roasted squash, remaining cooked beans, marinated tomatoes (including any liquid), and creamy cilantro sauce. Garnish with the toasted pepitas. Enjoy!

    Cook the beans & serve your dish
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