Four ways to build the ultimate protein bowl

All of us know that grilled-chicken-and-steamed-broccoli person. You know the type. Their weekly menu is chocked with this staple. Every now and then, if they’re feeling fancy, they’ll liven things up with some lemon pepper seasoning.

Heck, maybe you’re even a grilled-chicken-and-steamed-broccoli person. No shame. It’s easy to understand why so many of these people exist: this healthful dish, great for weight loss, is hard to screw up.

But we partnered with recipe-generating powerhouse to elevate your tired-and-true favorite. We kept the grilled chicken, but swapped the boring broccoli for a quinoa salad that’s loaded with cherry tomatoes and cashews. There’s a simple dressing in there, too, but we promise you that it’s way more flavorful than lemon pepper seasoning.

Want more bowl-based, high-protein creations? Click over to for a taste.

Recipe by Men’s Health and Food & Wine

What You’ll Need:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

½ cup roasted cashews

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Dijon

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp brown sugar

How to Make It:

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the canola oil and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes a side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.

2. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, cherry tomatoes, basil, and cashews. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, garlic, and brown sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into the quinoa mixture and toss well.

4. Divide the mixture into 4 bowls. Slice the grilled chicken and divide among the bowls. Top with diced avocado, roasted red pepper, thinly sliced radishes, and/or shelled edamame. Feeds 4

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