by Melanie 28 Comments
I know what you’re thinking…two spinach salads in a row? Well I doalways keep a Costco-sized tub of thegreen goodness in the fridge, butthe truth of the matter is I made this one a while ago and I am just now getting around to sharing it.
I don’t typically eat out during the week, for lots of reasons- I have healthier choices at home, I don’t have extra money to waste and I am just usually home with the the kids during lunchtime. However once in a great while, if I am out shopping for long hours, I will treat myself to Panera or Chipotle…you know “fast food” with healthier fare.
Panera has so many delicious options- some healthier than others, but I had heard about this salad that you could order off their “secret menu”. That’s right, one of the healthier items they sell was on a secret menu. What sense does that make right? Keep the light, healthy goodness that is this Power Bowl a secret? Strange I tell ya.
Well good news is that it’s no longer on a secret menu (and in fact I have no idea if they even still have such a thing); this Power Chicken Hummus Bowl is super simple, nutritious and yummy and one of their lowest calorie salads at 270 calories.
Fact: food taste better when you don’t have to make it. Fact #2: food taste better when you don’t have to pay eight dollars for it. Therefore I believe these will cancel each other out when you make this salad. If you make this super easy chicken hummus bowl at home youwill save a little money and be able to enjoy it for a few days (I packed leftover salads in separate tupperware so that we could enjoy them for lunch another day).
It’s so simple: spinach, tomato, red onion, chicken and their signature cilantro hummus (please note I do not have the actual recipe for their chicken or hummus, but I did my best). I actually posted this cilantro-jalapeno hummus almost 3 years ago (oh time, please slow down because it feels like yesterday). So I just made that recipe, sautéed some chicken breasts and assembled the rest.
There is no dressing which makes it super light and healthy- you just use the hummus and lots of fresh lemon juice as you’re dressing. Don’t skimp on either one of those!
This is what I call a perfect, healthy lunch that makes me feel good and happy.
5.0 from 2 reviews
Power Chicken Hummus Bowl {Panera Copycat Recipe}
healthy and clean, Power Chicken Hummus Bowl is a low calorie, high fiber, healthy salad for any meal. Inspired by Panera Bread Co.
Author: Melanie F. | Nutritious Eats
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning (a combination of dried basil, rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme and oregano)
- salt and pepper
- 12 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 lemons, cut in half
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro for topping
- For the Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus
- 1 can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained, skins removed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons tahini
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 4 Tablespoon water
- ½ cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
- ½ fresh jalapeno, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- For the hummus, combine all hummus ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer mixture to a storage container and refrigerate until needed.
- Combine paprika and poultry seasoning and set aside. To make chicken, pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper and paprika and poultry seasoning.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 10-12 minutes or until done. Remove to a plate to let cool. Then thinly slice.
- Place ~2 to 3 cups of spinach in a large salad bowl. Decoratively top with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, grilled chicken slices (~1/2 large chicken breast per salad), a half of a lemon and a scoop of cilantro-jalapeno hummus and hearty sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
- Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe was inspired from Panera, however I do not know the actual recipe for their chicken or hummus.
There are different types of "poultry seasoning" seasoning but I used the one that is the combination of dried herbs, not the fine powdered one which has different ground herbs. The ingredients in my seasoning are: basil, rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, oregano. If you do not have this blend just use similar spices.
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