This copycat Panera Bread Baja Bowl recipe is packed with good-for-you, wholesome ingredients and is so easy to make. This vibrant bowl features brown rice, quinoa, black beans, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and creamy avocado. It’s then layered with some crumbled feta cheese for a tangy contrast and a drizzle of Greek yogurt and salsa verde for a zesty kick. This bowl is a satisfying and flavorful way to eat well any day of the week! {Gluten-free}
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Panera Baja Bowls Recipe
If you’ve ever tried the Baja chicken bowls at Panera, you’ll understand why I’m obsessed enough to share this copycat recipe! They’re like burrito bowls on steroids.
The combination of quinoa, brown rice, and beans will keep you full for hours, the chicken will load you up with protein, and the veggies, cheese, and salsa make it taste absolutely delicious.
If you’re a meal prepper, get ready to make this recipe on repeat!
For more copycat recipes, check out this Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad and Panera Chinese Citrus Cashew Salad!
Why We Love This Baja Bowl Recipe
- High in protein to energize you for hours
- The whole grains and veggies add plenty of fiber
- Ideal for meal prepping for healthy meals all week
- Way cheaper than hitting the drive-thru
- Loaded with flavor in every layer
- Made with clean ingredients to avoid preservatives, stabilizers, and more
Ingredient Notes
Quinoa rice mixture:
- Brown rice: Feel free to use any type of brown rice – basmati, jasmine, etc. You can also substitute white rice for brown rice.
- Quinoa: Quinoa is a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. Feel free to use brown quinoa, golden quinoa, or whatever you have on hand.
- Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
For cilantro lime dressing:
- Lime juice: To add a touch of zesty flavor.
- Fresh cilantro: Rinse, dry, and roughly chop first.
- Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Honey: For just a hint of sweetness.
- Red pepper flakes: For a kick of heat.
For the bowls:
- Canned black beans: Drain and rinse well before assembling the warm grain bowls. Pinto beans work great, too.
- Frozen corn: Thaw the corn first before adding to bowls. Canned or fresh corn can also be used.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: These are packed with protein without adding lots of fat. Feel free to grill, bake, or roast the chicken however you’d like, but make sure it is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F. This is a great opportunity to use a rotisserie chicken, too!
- Avocados: I usually use about 1/8th of an avocado per bowl, cut into thin strips, but you can add more as desired.
- Cherry tomatoes: Slice these in half to make them easier to eat.
- Feta crumbles: For a salty, creamy texture.
- Salsa verde: Either use jarred salsa verde from the store or make it yourself.
- Plain Greek yogurt: Low fat greek yogurt will add even more protein without the fat. Sour cream is a good alternative but often higher in fat.
- Pickled red onion: This is entirely optional, but pickled red onions add a gorgeous color and a pop of acidity to make these grain bowls even tastier.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Grains & Dressing
- In a small pot or saucepan, combine the brown rice and 2 ¼ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, add quinoa, stir to combine with the brown rice, cover, and continue to cook on low-medium heat for 15 minutes or until cooked and can be fluffed with a fork. Keep the lid on, remove from heat and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the lime juice, honey, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and olive oil. Blend until combined and smooth (some pieces of cilantro may remain).
- Drizzle rice with 2 tablespoons of the cilantro lime dressing and toss.
Step 2: Cook Chicken
- While the rice and quinoa are cooking, pound the chicken breasts until they are even thickness. Brush with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat your grill to between 425 and 450°F for chicken breasts. Grill chicken breasts for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken that you’re cooking.
Step 3: Assemble Bowls
- Divide the seasoned brown rice and quinoa mixture between 4 bowls. Top each bowl with sliced chicken, black bean and corn mixture, avocado, tomatoes, feta. Drizzle each bowl with the remaining dressing. Top with some salsa verde, and a dollop of yogurt. Garnish with additional cilantro and pickled onion if desired. Baja bowls are best when enjoyed immediately after assembly.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Tips:
- When cooking grains, the brown rice and quinoa mixture can take up to 40 minutes to cook. For faster preparation, cook the brown rice and quinoa ahead of time or use store-bought pre-cooked brown rice and quinoa packets. Be sure to season and warm the grains before serving.
- Seasoning the grains before assembly maximizes the bowls’ overall flavor.
- Add grilled steak, or pulled pork in place of the chicken breasts. Leave meat off for a filling vegetarian dish!
Recipe FAQs
This now-retired dish is made with a bed of cilantro lime brown rice quinoa blend topped with black bean corn salsa, salsa verde, red grape tomatoes, avocado, feta, and Greek yogurt. This copycat recipe is very similar to the Panera version and tastes just as great (if not better)!
Yes! Even the original version from Panera is nutritious and filling, with lots of whole grains, healthy fats, and quite a bit of protein from the chicken and yogurt. This homemade version has 7 grams of fiber and 39 grams of protein, making it a nutrient-packed and satisfying meal.
The Baja chicken bowl tastes best warm, although you can eat it cold if you prefer. For meal prep, you may want to store the toppings separately – yogurt, tomatoes, avocado, pickled onions, etc – and reheat just the chicken and rice mixture in the microwave. Once the filling is nice and warm, add the other ingredients and serve!
Storage Guidelines
Leftover assembled bowls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To preserve freshness, it’s best to add avocados, tomato, feta, salsa verde, yogurt, and pickled onion right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
The Baja grain bowl is an entire meal on its own! You likely won’t feel the need for any sides or extras, but you can make your healthy meal even more refreshing with Infused Lemon Cucumber Water or a nice Peach Rooibos Iced Tea.
Recipe Variations
- Change the protein: For a veggie meal, skip the chicken, use grilled tofu, or add extra beans. For the meat eaters, try pairing this grain bowl with thinly sliced steak, slow cooked beef, or carnitas.
- Try different salsas: There are so many delicious salsas out there! Salsa verde tastes great over this easy lunch, but you can also look for pico de gallo, roasted tomato salsa, and more.
- Mediterranean grain bowl: For a Mediterranean bowl, keep the cilantro lime rice, chicken, tomatoes, yogurt, and feta, and add sliced romaine, kalamata olives, lemon tahini dressing, and homemade hummus. So good!
- Marinate the chicken: To add extra flavor to the chicken, marinate it in a large ziploc bag with your favorite seasonings. Try some of my favorite chicken marinades, like cilantro lime, chili garlic, or Mexican fajita, for a Southwestern flavor.
More Similar Recipes
- Healthy Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep
- Healthy Black Bean Burrito Bowls
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Mexican Ground Beef and Quinoa Taco Bowls
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Copycat Panera Bread Baja Bowl Recipe with Chicken
Ingredients
For the grains:
- 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 2 1/4 cups water
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Dash of salt and pepper
For cilantro lime dressing:
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, divided (about 1 1/2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the bowls:
- 2/3 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1/2 Hass avocado, pitted and sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup salsa verde, jarred or homemade
- 4 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup pickled onions, optional garnish (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- In a small pot or saucepan, combine the brown rice and 2 ¼ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, add quinoa, stir to combine with the brown rice, cover, and continue to cook on low-medium heat for 15 minutes or until cooked and can be fluffed with a fork. Keep the lid on, remove from heat and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Blend until combined and smooth (some pieces of cilantro may remain).
- Drizzle rice with 2 tablespoons of the cilantro lime dressing and toss.
- While the rice and quinoa are cooking, pound the chicken breasts until they are even thickness. Brush with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat your grill to between 425 and 450°F for chicken breasts. Grill chicken breasts for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken that you’re cooking.
To assemble bowls:
- Divide the seasoned brown rice and quinoa mixture between 4 bowls. Top each bowl with sliced chicken, black beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes, and feta. Drizzle each bowl evenly with the remaining dressing. Top with some salsa verde, and a dollop of yogurt. Garnish with additional cilantro and pickled onion if desired. Baja bowls are best when enjoyed immediately after assembly.
Notes
-
- When cooking grains, the brown rice and quinoa mixture can take up to 40 minutes to cook. For faster preparation, cook the brown rice and quinoa ahead of time or use store-bought pre-cooked brown rice and quinoa packets. Be sure to season and warm the grains before serving.
- Seasoning the grains before assembly maximizes the bowls’ overall flavor.
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