It’s that time of year where wholesome is exactly what we need, especially when it comes to our food! Wholesome Bowls: Food for Mind, Body & Soul by Melissa Delport is packed full of recipes that are nourishing, hearty, flavourful, healthy and delicious. There are plenty of recipes for all culinary skill levels, tastes, meal types and occasions. It really is a comprehensive and versatile cookbook that has something for everyone to enjoy.
We have great pleasure in sharing the gorgeous Firebird Fajita Bowl recipe with you below. It’s simple to make but packed full of flavour and, importantly, goodness. It’s one we keep in rotation at home since trying it. We really hope you enjoy it too.
Thank you so much to Melissa and Octavia at Watkins Publishing for sharing these with us. The amazing photography for these recipes is Melissa Delport’s own.
Chicken fajita bowl (meat, vegetarian or vegan), serves 2
Ingredients
- 200g Uncooked wild rice
- 2 Chicken breasts, sliced 1 cm thick (optional)
- 1 Onion, roughly chopped
- 1 Red pepper, sliced
- 1 Yellow pepper, sliced
- 2 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 Generous handfuls of baby spinach
- 200g Red kidney beans, cooked
- 50g Shredded red cabbage
- 1 Avocado, sliced
- 2 Handfuls of fresh coriander
- 2 Limes, quartered
- Salt and pepper
- Sriracha sauce (optional)
Dressing
- 2 tbsp full-fat plain yogurt
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp Finely chopped fresh coriander
- Salt and pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Cook the rice as per the packet instructions
Place the chicken, onion, peppers and tomatoes in a roasting pan and add the cumin, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, paprika and coconut oil. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Make sure you spread the ingredients out evenly so they all feel the heat. Once ready, place under the grill for 5 minutes to crisp up a little. Remove from the oven.
Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together.
It is time to assemble your bowl. Take this moment to connect with your food and create something beautiful. You can start by layering the spinach and the rice. Remove the chicken from the tray and shred it using two forks, then add it to the bowl along with the vegetables. Add the kidney beans and red cabbage. Finish off with the avocado, fresh coriander/cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Season to taste and, if you want some heat, add some sriracha sauce. Serve with the dressing on the side.
Notes
This bowl is a good example of how meat doesn’t always have to be the keystone of a meal. If you choose to leave out the chicken, you are left with a full and incredible vegetarian meal. If you would like to take it a step further and make this a vegan dish, then leave out the chicken and replace the yogurt dressing with a squeeze of lemon juice and a glug of olive oil.
