Chicken Power Bowls with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans are packed with protein to keep you going for hours! Fresh, healthy, and filling.
As a recipe developer, many people think I have elaborate meals prepared for my family each night of the week but ha. HAHAHA.
That is to say, no, I don’t! Just like any busy working Mom/person, after a long day of work all I want is something quick and easy, yet fresh and filling to put onto the table.
If you’re in the same boat, may I suggest Chicken Power Bowls with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans? This wholesome, make-ahead meal is not only packed with craveable flavors and textures, but protein too. It’s the perfect lunch or dinner recipe that won’t leave you searching the pantry 20 minutes after eating!
Protein Packed Power Bowl
Chicken Power Bowls with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans is a recipe based on Panera’s hidden menu, which offers “power bowls” that are rich in protein and contain only limited amounts of processed carbs.
I love the idea so much that I created my own version!
Baby spinach is topped with sauted chicken, crispy baked garbanzo beans, hard boiled eggs, shelled pistachios, dried cranberries, and creamy chevre. This gorgeous bowl of deliciousness will fuel you ALL the way through the day or night, and is so stinking healthy, its borderline ridiculous.
Prep Ahead then Assemble and Eat
The best part though? The cooked elements are make / prep-ahead so all you have to do at meal time is assemble and eat. Layer the ingredients in a mason jar to take for a healthy lunch at the office, or pile into bowls at the end of the crazy day.
Take my advice and add this delicious, protein-filled power bowl to your menu this week!
Step 1: Make the Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans
Start by making the Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans, which I call healthy corn nuts on account that they’re, well, beans, but also salt and crispy. Yum!
Drain then rinse a 15oz can of garbanzo beans (you might also find them labeled as chickpeas at the store.)
Pour the chickpeas onto a kitchen towel then gently pat/rub until completely dry. Pour the beans onto a baking sheet then toss with extra virgin olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Lastly, season with salt.
The beans will be crisp right out of the oven, but will get even crunchier as they cool.
- Tip: the crispy garbanzo beans can make these up to 3 days ahead of time. Be sure to cool the crispy chickpeas completely before storing in an airtight container.
Step 2: Make the Hard Boiled Eggs
Place large eggs in a saucepan then add cold water until it covers the tops by one inch, taking care not to crowd the eggs.
Bring the water to a boil then place a lid on top and remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 11 minutes then plunge them into ice water, or run under cold water for a few minutes.
When they’re cool enough to handle, lightly smash the egg against a cutting board then roll with a little pressure until the egg is cracked all the way across the middle. Next, peel! The key to getting eggs to peel easily is to peel them fresh out of the ice bath vs refrigerating with the shell on and trying later.
- Tip: the hard boiled eggs can be made and peeled up to 3 days ahead of time.
Step 3: Saute Chicken Breasts
You can’t have Chicken Power Bowls without chicken, so saute chicken breasts that have been brushed with extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, then let cool for 10 minutes before thinly slicing or chopping.
Alternatively you can use Air Fryer Chicken Breasts, Baked Chicken Breasts, or Grilled Chicken Thighs instead!
Step 4: Make the Dressing
Almost done! Make the Lemon-Honey Dressing to drizzle on top of the bowls next. You could use any salad dressing you have in your fridge for these bowls, but this homemade dressing is divine.
Combine fresh lemon juice with extra virgin olive oil, honey, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper in a jar or bowl then shake or whisk to combine. That’s it!
Finally, add baby spinach to bowls then top each with the prepared hard boiled eggs, crispy baked garbanzo beans, and sliced chicken, plus shelled pistachios, dried cranberries, and crumbled chevre.
Drizzle with the Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette then dig in. I hope you love this healthy, filling, fresh meal – enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, pounded to an even thickness
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 4 eggs
- 9 oz baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 4 oz chevre, any flavor
For the Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette:
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
For the Crispy Garbanzo Beans:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Drain the garbanzo beans then rinse with cold water and pat very dry with a kitchen towel. Pour the beans onto the prepared sheet pan then add extra virgin olive oil and toss with your fingertips to coat. Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until the garbanzo beans are golden brown. Note: the beans will continue to crisp up as they cool. Sprinkle the beans with salt then set aside to cool completely. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
For the Hard-Boiled Eggs:
- Place the eggs in a small saucepan then cover with cold water 1″ above the tops. Bring the water to a boil over high heat then place a lid on top and remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 11 minutes then drain and plunge them into a bowl of ice water, or run under cold water for a few minutes. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel then slice. Eggs can be hard boiled then peeled up to 3 days ahead of time.
For the Chicken:
- Brush the chicken breasts on both sides with extra virgin olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Saute in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes then thinly slice or chop. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
For the Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette:
- Add the ingredients to a bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid then whisk or shake to combine. Taste then adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
Assembly:
- Divide the spinach between four bowls then top each bowl with 1/4 cup crispy baked garbanzo beans, 1/4 of the cooked chicken, 1 sliced hard-boiled egg, 2 Tablespoons each pistachios and dried cranberries, and 1oz crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette then serve.
Notes
- Feel free to customize your bowl, such as leaving out eggs or using different seasoning on the chicken.
- You can use Air Fryer Chicken Breasts, Baked Chicken Breasts, or Grilled Chicken Thighs instead of sautéing the chicken on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This salad looks delicious! Perfect way to spice up our usual salads. Thanks :)
Oh! I almost forgot – Happy Birthday Grandma!
The boyfriend is going to love this! We are an omnivore/vegetarian household so he can have all the chicken and I am going to hoard those deliciously crispy chickpeas for myself! Thanks for helping us with our weeknight dilemma :)
I hope that your Grandmother has the best birthday ever! You are both lucky to have each other!
I need your weekly recipes! I am running out of ideas for recipes and yours will be healthy and easy to make!
Thank you!!
I love this protein-packed, fresh salad! The combo of textures and flavors looks awesome! I can’t wait to give it a try and recommend the idea of baked garbanzo beans to my clients/patients for a healthy snack. Thanks!
First, Happy Birthday Grandma! Mine lived to be 101 and 1/2. Wishing you both lots of happy years ahead. This looks like a great vegetarian bowl as well–just leave out the chicken. Will give it a try should the weather finally be spring for more than a day or two!
This looks amazing!! My kids may not eat it, but oh well. LOL Get on this healthy lifestyle train or get left at the station. (They are all now 20 and older)
And Happy Birthday to your grandmother! My mini-me turned 20 today as well.
My husband is going to just love this! It seems like the perfect man-friendly salad :)
Happy Birthday to Grandma! And I love the idea of roasting the chick peas…but how to get them on the fork is another problem.
So funny, I was looking up the best way to hard boil eggs after seeing your inst-egg salad on instagram. I had settled on trying the baking-in-a-muffin tin method, but will have to try this instead!
I also was looking for a recipe for baked chickpeas this morning as well, I think it is fate! I must make this amazing looking dish ASAP!
This is one delicious power bowl, all my favorite ingredients, lots of protein! Love it!
have you ever tried steaming eggs, I steam mine for about 20 mins. you don’t have to worry about the pot boiling over and also no pot to clean after. also it does make them easier to peel, I will never boil another egg again.
That looks really really good!! Love roasted garbanzos!
My grandma just turned 95 in December and is an uber-cool Grandma as well! Our grandmas should be friends on Facebook!! ;)