Sheet pan roasted chicken breasts, butternut squash, and red onion served with black beans, brown rice, and guacamole make this meal-in-a-bowl perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep lunches.
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“I love, love, love this recipe and have made it more times than I can count. I substitute yam for the squash per family preferences. Quick, easy and delicious!” -Kristin, FoodieCrush reader
This post is in partnership with Wholly Guacamole
Bowls Like This Are Perfect for Meal Prepping
Food in bowls is such an easy way to pack in all that’s good for you, and with me giving my weekly meal planning my all, I thought tweaking the meal prepper’s classic grilled chicken rice bowl to make it sheet pan friendly was a smart way to go.
These Southwest chicken and rice bowls are loaded with cilantro brown rice, roasted butternut squash and red onion, black beans, and juicy cumin-spiked chicken. A scoop of fresh guac on top rounds out the bowls and adds good-for-you fat that will keep you fuller for longer.
This is one of those recipes that you’ll be applauding all week long. I’s healthy, super simple, and perfect for meal planning. Even better, it’s a delicious yet simple dinner that you can take on the road for lunch at work or school.
Enjoy!
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Brown rice — You can use white rice if desired, but I prefer brown rice for its added nutrients.
- Cilantro — Load up the rice with as much cilantro as your heart desires. You can also add a squeeze of lime to make cilantro lime rice.
- Beans — I used black beans from a can for ease, but pinto beans, refried beans, or kidney beans all work too.
- Veggies — I roasted some butternut squash and red onion until soft and caramelized around the edges, but bell pepper, sweet potato, tomato, or other seasonal veg can be used.
- Chicken — Be sure to cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise to cut down on their cooking time and get more for your buck.
- Wholly Guacamole® Dip — I’m always game for making guacamole from scratch, but I love the convenience of having a guacamole with real chunks of avocado in it sitting in my fridge and not turning brown. We can all dip to that!
How to Make These Southwest Chicken Bowls
- Roast the chicken and veg. Simply line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, add red onions and cubed butternut squash to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and season with spices. Place on the baking sheet and then do the same to the skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
Heidi’s Tip: The chicken will finish cooking before the squash. Remove it to a clean cutting board and slice it while the squash finishes roasting.
- Assemble the bowls. I added some black beans and brown rice for even more protein power. Then, add a dollop or three of guacamole (choose any of their flavors!). My husband and daughter love sour cream, so they added a dollop there with a sprinkling of cilantro as the final act.
- Store airtight if meal prepping. I made these into ready to serve portions for Smudge’s take-to-school lunch. The great thing is they don’t have to be warmed to be served and individual Wholly Avocado minis are perfect individual portion sizes and at just 100 calories, they’re the secret star of the show.
Variations to Try
- Add fresh toppings like shredded lettuce, chopped onion, and tomato after reheating
- Top with restaurant-style salsa or pico de gallo
- Swap the butternut squash with cubed sweet potato
- Replace the black beans with black bean corn salsa
- Use leftover chicken or turkey from last night’s dinner
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Southwest Chicken Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain brown rice
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- 1 cup cilantro leaves , chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground chili pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 red onion , sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts , trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
- 1 (8-ounce) package Wholly Guacamole® Dip of your choice
Instructions
- Prep the rice and beans. Cook the brown rice according to package directions. Stir in 1 cup of the cilantro and keep warm. Warm the beans in a small saucepan or the microwave and keep warm.2 cups long-grain brown rice, 1 cup cilantro leaves, 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a 9×13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
- Season the veggies. In a small bowl or ramekin, mix the cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper together. In a medium size bowl, add the butternut squash and onions. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix. Toss and spread out the veggies on the sheet pan.2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground chili pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cups cubed butternut squash, 1 red onion
- Season the chicken. In the same bowl, add the chicken and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the remainder of the seasoning and toss to coat well. Place the chicken on the foil lined sheet pan. Do not layer on the vegetables, but instead lay alongside.2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Roast until done. Place the sheet pan on the middle rack of the hot oven and cook for 11-13 minutes. Do not disturb the vegetables or chicken so that they develop a caramelized crust. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil, then put the baking sheet back into the oven and cook the vegetables for an additional 5-7 minutes or until desired doneness.
- Assemble the bowls. Slice or chop the chicken breast. Layer the chicken with 1 cup brown rice and ¼ each of the black beans, butternut squash, and roasted onion. Top with guacamole and garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.1 (8-ounce) package Wholly Guacamole® Dip of your choice
Notes
Nutrition
Other Bowl Dinners That Are Great for Meal Prep
More Chicken and Squash Recipes
- White Chicken Chili with Butternut Squash
- Autumnal Cobb Salad
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta (add ground or shredded chicken)
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This post is sponsored by Wholly Guacamole. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.
Shannon
This is our new go to meal. I tried it with butternut squash, but the family didn’t like the texture of the squash. I substituted sweet potatoes for the squash and it was a hit. We have this meal all the time!
So glad you enjoyed it Shannon! Thanks for the rating!
Jill Rossini
So so good. Thank you.
So glad you liked it Jill.
Elizabeth Russell-Jones
We are big fans of you Heidi! My 16 year old daughter googled “chicken and butternut squash” since that’s what we had available and this recipe appeared. I was so excited to find out it was a FoodieCrush recipe! This time during the quarantine, our dinners have been a special time for us to download from the day. With an easy prep time, and the combination of sweet and savory of the chicken and vegetables, this recipe has now become our favorite dinner while we navigate this new world of ours. Thank you, Heidi!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thank you so much!! I am sure glad that you take that time to cook together!
Kristin
I love, love, love this recipe and have made it more times than I can count. I substitute yam for the squash per family preferences. Quick, easy and delicious!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
So great! Thanks Kristin!
Kayla
Any chance we could get the nutrition facts?
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Hi Kayla! I currently dont’ offer nutrition facts on my site.
Kristin
Love this recipe and I’ve made it numerous times.
Laura
Hi Heidi could you please tell me how many serves this recipe would make?
Amanda
Question about the ‘ground chili pepper’ you’re using here. Is that chili powder (a blend of spices), or ground chili like an ancho chili powder, or like a spicy ground chili powder? Thanks!
Julie
WOW~WOW~WOW!!! This was SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD and super quick and easy!! My husband as raving about it saying we could have it once a week. That’s when I know he really likes dish. I’m vegan so it was really easy to just leave the chicken off mine.
I typically double any type of rub or marinate as I did with these spices, having said that I would have cut back on the salt by about half since I really rub it up! I also took both veggies and chicken out at the same time.
EXCELLENT RECIPE! I plan to share this very tasty dish with all my friends!!!
Sarah
I made this for the first time last night for my week of lunches, and I’m eating it as I type. This is SO yummy and so easy. First, this may be my new favorite way to bake chicken; the chicken is so much juicier and tastier than cooking a whole breast low and slow at 350 degrees. I added a second sheet pan for my onions as well as some roasted green beans. I followed the recipe but kept my veggies in for a lot longer (I like them really caramelized). Next time, I will follow other posters’ suggestion to add a little lime to the cilantro rice. A great recipe as is, and it provides so much room to tweak (add seasonal veggies, change the spices to make it Indian or Asian, etc). Thanks so much!
Michelle
This was sooooo delicious and super easy to make. Thanks for the quac tip total game changer. Loved this recipe!
Aidan
How many calories are in one bowl? Just wondering…
Kayla
I’m also curious to know this. Would help to know for my diet.
Sophia
Huge hit! I was concerned this would be dry but it was perfect! I roasted carrots in with the butternut squash and added some lime juice to my rice. I will definitely be making this again!
Veneise
Yet another easy and delicious recipe. I added lime juice to the rice while it was cooking and it was delicious!
LINDSEY flamm
We loved the bowls! I have made it with quinoa too, and it’s super yummy! Thanks for sharing, I am a huge fan of a meal in a bowl and one one sheet pan dinner!!
Cynthia
My stepdaughter brought this to me – OH! OH! OH! it is SO good!
Simply Amazing combination of flavors!
Shauna
I just made this recipe, and I have to say it’s so so good!
Thank you very much for sharing
Nicole
Just finished eating this…Wholly YUM! This is such a delicious, healthy meal. My hubby inhaled it and even said that it was better than Chipotle (which he eats every weekend). Will definitely be making this again and again!
Thank you to you and your husband Nicole! That’s a serious compliment :) Enjoy!
Megan {Country Cleaver}
I have everything I need for these! My week is made!!
Gina @Running to the Kitchen
Seriously delicious!! I love guacamole! This meal looks so yummy!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Love Wholly Guacamole, especially the little containers. And these bowls are a dream!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
Now that’s one good looking rice bowl! The guacamole is an absolute must!
kelenjar getah bening
Jigana ngeunah euy eta. Unncchh
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet
Oh, yeah! I’ve got everything to make this! Wholly Guacamole dips are the best!
Erin@WellPlated
FACT: My husband once entered Wholly Guacamole in a dip off contest at work…and WON. It’s our fave! And this recipe? Music to my ears and tummy :)