Makes 4-ish servings

Notes:

You may not think breaded chicken can be part of a balanced meal, but we’re here to tell you that you’re wrong. Annie first concocted this bowl in a fit of hanger, after moving into a new apartment. Her fridge and pantry were mostly bare, but she serendipitously had this combination of items. She combined the ingredients in a bleary daze, and was shocked to realize she inadvertently created a masterpiece of a meal. She’s happily eaten this bowl of food on a weekly basis for years. Her family loves it, our families love it, and we’re confident it’ll become a staple in your home, too.

Products recs:

For this recipe - and all our breaded chicken needs - we like Just Bare. We keep their products on hand at all times, and they come in a spicy version if you like some heat. Applegate is also a good option. Either nuggets or tenders will work fine in this recipe.
You can steam your own quinoa, but you can - and should - keep packs of pre-steamed grains on hand since they help a meal come together in seconds. We’re partial to Seeds of Change version, but there are many good varieties out there.
For the kale chips, we’re a Brad’s gal.
Like the quinoa, there are many great varieties of chickpeas out there, but we like Saffron Road.
We’ve consumed more than our fair share of ranch dressing, and Tessamae’s is the best without a doubt.

Swaps:

Kids have eaten too many chicken nuggets recently? Sub cubed, baked tofu or some shredded rotisserie chicken.
Not into quinoa? Any grain will work well as a base, or you could omit it entirely.
A handful of chopped chives or some baby greens could take the place of the microgreens.

Add-ons:

If you can find it, some slivered watermelon radish adds a nice pop of color and crunch.
Some diced avocado is freaking delightful here.

Equipment:

Large mixing bowl
Spatula

Ingredients:

~1 pounds cooked chicken tenders or nuggets
3 x 8.8 ounce bags of steamed quinoa - about 5 cups cooked
2 ounces kale chips
1 cup crispy chickpeas
Heaping handful of microgreens (optional)
2 tablespoons ranch or to your liking

Steps:

Cook the chicken nuggets according to the instructions on the package - we prefer to airy fry ours for a bit of extra crunch.

While the chicken nuggets are heating, warm the quinoa according to the instructions in the package, then pour into a large bowl.

Toss the quinoa with the kale chips, the crispy chickpeas and microgreens (if using), then divide mixture evenly among four bowls.

Top each bowl with the desired amount of chicken nuggets and drizzle with ranch dressing.

Chicken Tendie Bowl