Chicken wholefood bowl

Nutritious and satisfying, this recipe offers everything you need in one meal, making it ideal for a quick lunch. You can swap the squash and beetroots for whatever roasting veg are in season.

Ingredients

Makes 8–10 portions

  • 1 small butternut squash, about 400g (14oz), peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm (3⁄4-inch) cubes

  • 6 medium beetroots, about 400g (14oz), scrubbed and sliced and/or cut into 2cm (3⁄4-inch) cubes

  • vegetable oil

  • 250g (9oz) quinoa, well rinsed and drained

  • grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

  • 1⁄2 quantity of Best-ever Pesto (see below) or 60g (21⁄4oz) ready-made pesto

  • 1 medium chicken, about 1.5kg (3lb 5oz), roasted (see page 149), or leftover roast chicken, meat removed from the bone, skinned and shredded, about 500g (1lb/2oz) (reserve the carcass and/or bones for freezing and making stock)

  • 1 bag of chopped curly kale, about 150g (51⁄2oz)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 250g (9oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 15g (1⁄2oz) flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

  • salt

  • 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds, to garnish (optional)

Best-ever pesto:

  • 60g (21⁄4oz) basil, roughly chopped

  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts, cashew nuts or blanched almonds, toasted

  • 50g (13⁄4oz) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, or 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

  • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 4 teaspoons olive oil

  • juice of 1 lemon, or more if needed

  • salt

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

  2. Spread the butternut squash and beetroot cubes out on two large baking trays and drizzle with vegetable oil. Roast for 20–25 minutes or until cooked through and slightly caramelized.

  3. Meanwhile, put the quinoa into a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through. Drain, put into a bowl and stir through the lemon zest and juice.

  4. Mix the pesto through the shredded roast chicken.

  5. Drizzle the kale with the olive oil and massage with your hands until soft. Season with salt, then fold through the tomatoes.

  6. Stir the chopped parsley through the roasted vegetables.

  7. To assemble, arrange the pesto chicken, quinoa, roasted veg and finally the kale and tomato mixture in each serving bowl. Sprinkle with the sunflower seeds to garnish, if you like.

Best-ever pesto:

  1. Put all the basic pesto ingredients except the salt into a food processor and blitz to your desired consistency. Alternatively, use a hand blender or a pestle and mortar.

  2. Season to taste with salt and add more lemon juice if needed.

Credit: ByRuby

Instagram: @byrubyfoods

Jade ThorneComment