This chicken fajita bowl recipe layers skillet chicken and peppers over rice and black beans, with avocado, tomato and lime yogurt on top. Cook the rice while preparing the skillet filling; its 5-minute covered rest is included in the cooking estimate. Keep cold toppings separate if making bowls for later.
Make it with Savory Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
Ingredients
1 cup (185 g) dry long-grain white rice, rinsed
2 cups (480 ml) water for rice, or the amount directed on its package
3 tablespoons (45 ml) additional water, divided between beans and yogurt
1 can (15 ounces / 425 g) no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, divided
1 ripe avocado, diced, and 1/2 cup (80 g) diced tomato
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Directions
Cook and rest the rice. Bring rice and measured water to a boil in a saucepan. Cover and simmer gently about 18–20 minutes until absorbed, following package directions if different. Rest covered off heat 5 minutes; fluff with 1 tablespoon lime juice.
Cook the vegetables. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook peppers and onion with 1 teaspoon Dust for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender with browned edges. Transfer to a clean bowl.
Cook the chicken. Coat chicken with the remaining 2 teaspoons Dust. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Cook in a loose layer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C).
Warm beans and mix the topping. Return vegetables to the skillet. Add drained beans and 2 tablespoons water; stir over low heat 2–3 minutes until hot. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt with remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon water.
Build four bowls. Divide the cooked rice among four bowls, about 3/4 cup each. Add equal portions of chicken, beans and vegetables. Top each with one-quarter of the avocado, tomato, cilantro and lime yogurt. For meal prep, pack cold toppings separately.
Yield: 4 complete bowls. Cooking timing: 25–30 mins cooking, including 5 mins rice resting.
The Dust In This Recipe
Savory Desert Dust
$12.99
Make it with Savory Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦Aromatic & SavoryA layered Latin-inspired profile with warm spice and real depth.
✦Dates Do MoreOrganic Coachella Valley dates round out the spices with earthy sweetness.
Each bowl gets roughly 3/4 cup cooked rice, one-quarter of the seasoned chicken and vegetables, and one-quarter of the drained black beans. Avocado, tomato and about 2 tablespoons yogurt before thinning finish the serving. Portion the whole cooked batch evenly; ingredient sizes and rice yield naturally vary.
CAN I USE BROWN RICE OR ALREADY COOKED RICE?
Yes, but brown rice needs its package water ratio and a longer cooking time; start it earlier. For already cooked rice, use about 3 cups that were chilled promptly and refrigerated for no more than 24 hours. Reheat once to 165°F (74°C), adding a splash of water and stirring to avoid cold spots. Serve it immediately rather than cooling the assembled bowl for later.
CAN I USE CHICKEN BREAST INSTEAD OF THIGHS?
Use the same weight and cut it into similar 3/4-inch pieces. Breast can dry out sooner, so begin checking before the end of the listed range. Several of the thickest pieces must reach 165°F (74°C). Cook extra batches if the skillet is too small for a loose layer, and allow more time.
CAN I CHANGE THE BEANS OR COLD TOPPINGS?
Drained, rinsed canned pinto beans can replace black beans in the same amount. Use plain unsweetened yogurt; sour cream is a richer substitute. Omit cilantro if you dislike it. The warm filling already contains salted Savory Dust, so taste before adding salt. Prepare avocado near serving time for the freshest color.
HOW SHOULD I PACK THESE FOR MEAL PREP?
Portion rice and filling into shallow containers and chill promptly, ideally within 1 hour for the rice. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and use bowls containing rice within 24 hours. Filling stored separately without rice keeps 3–4 days. Pack yogurt, tomato and cilantro separately; add fresh avocado at serving. Storage time starts when each component was first cooked.
HOW DO I REHEAT OR FREEZE THE BOWLS?
Reheat rice and filling once only, covered with a splash of water. Stir and check several places reach 165°F (74°C), then add cold toppings. For longer storage, cool promptly and freeze rice and filling in individual portions for up to 2 months for quality. Thaw in the refrigerator and use within 24 hours; keep avocado, tomato and yogurt out of freezer portions.
WHAT ALLERGENS ARE IN THIS RECIPE?
The yogurt contains milk, and the current Savory Dust ingredient list includes mustard. A suitable plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt can replace the dairy yogurt, but check its label because ingredients and cross-contact vary. Also check canned beans and seasoning packaging. This recipe does not rely on cheese, tortillas or a premade bottled sauce.
