Tahini Buddha Bowls

Fun fact about myself: I LOVE a good cookbook. ❤️ I have a growing collection, and think it’s so fun to page through them on nights that we’re looking for meal inspo. If I had to choose a favorite, it would definitely be the first Thug Kitchen book. Dillon and I used recipes on their website for years while we were in college, and as a coincidence without even knowing we enjoyed the site, his cousin bought me the book for Christmas. When you pick up my copy, it will fall open to a stained recipe page that has been used more times than I can count- Spiced Chickpea Wraps. They are a favorite around here and quickly made their way into our regular dinner rotation. One day while grocery shopping, I had a thought that the wraps felt a little heavy to me. I loved all of the contents, but putting them into a wrap seemed somewhat unnecessary. SO I decided to try and morph the concept into a “Buddha Bowl”. For those who don’t frequently surf Pinterest, a Buddha Bowl is defined as a colorful bowl usually composed of vegetables, healthy grains, and protein. It is my favorite type of weeknight meal- easy, good for you, and keeps well as leftovers. ?? In my opinion, the shining star of this dish is the tahini dressing. I know, I know, tahini isn’t an ingredient that is at the top of everyone’s grocery list. However, it provides you with a ton of healthy fat and protein, and tastes amazing! It’s also one of those things that will last a long time once you cave in and buy it. Please don’t try to replace it in this recipe guys, I’ll be sad ?. Now that I’ve given you my tahini pitch (not sponsored I swear, I’m just a sucker for ground sesame seeds ?), let’s get started!

Tahini Buddha Bowl- Serves 4

Protein:
4 Chicken Breasts

Marinade:
1 ½ Cups Yogurt
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper

Roasted Chickpeas:
2 Cans Chickpeas
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Teaspoons Maple Syrup (or Honey)
2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
3 Teaspoons Cumin
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Salad:
1 ½ Cups Shredded Carrots
1 ½ Cups Halved Cherry Tomatoes
1 Sliced Cucumber
½ Diced Red Onion
4 Cups Spinach
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice

Tahini Dressing:
¾ Cup Tahini
4 Tablespoons Warm Water
4 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
¼ Cup Olive Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder

First, mix all ingredients for the marinade and set aside. Place chicken breasts into a gallon freezer bag, pour marinade into bag and shake until covered. Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once chicken is marinated, pour contents of bag into pan and bake for 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Let rest for about 15 minutes, and then slice into strips or cubes.

While the chicken is baking, strain liquid from both cans of chickpeas. Heat olive oil in pan, then add in chickpeas and roast until they turn golden brown. Mix together syrup (or honey), Soy Sauce, and Lemon. Pour over the chickpeas and cook until the liquid evaporates. Next, sprinkle the paprika, cumin, and garlic powder over the chickpeas and fry for another minute or so.

Cook 2 cups of brown rice according to directions on packaging and set aside.

The dressing is pretty self-explanatory; just combine all of the ingredients listed. I think using a whisk works well here. Adding the warm water in directly after the tahini makes it easier to whisk. Once the dressing is smooth, set aside.

Now its time to assemble the bowls! Make sure that you’ve already chopped the cucumber and red onion, and halved the cherry tomatoes. Place 1 cup spinach, ½ cup brown rice, ¾ cup chickpeas, and one sliced chicken breast into each bowl. Add in cucumber slices, red onion, shaved carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Top with tahini dressing and enjoy!

Note: I want to point out that this recipe can totally be made vegetarian-friendly! Honestly, I make it that way often for myself. Although the chicken is tasty, I really only add it because I live with a protein-craving guy who complains when dinner doesn’t involve meat (we’re working on that ?). If you want something a little lighter, just add in another can of chickpeas and it will definitely be filling enough!


What do you think, pretty simple, right? Please, take my advice and work some tahini into your life. You can thank me later. ? I love this as a weeknight meal option; I hope ya’ll get as much use from the recipe as we do in Apartment 3A!

Let me know if you give them a try! Hashtag your photos with #347Foodie , and as always, feel free to reach out with any questions. Do you have an easy weeknight meal that’s a favorite in your house? Leave it in the comments; I love to hear from you guys! ?

Xo Amanda