Protein Grain Bowl (Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut)

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled and shredded (about 3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Method

1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water for 30 seconds. It takes thirty seconds and it's the difference between nutty and bitter — do it.
2. Combine the rinsed quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Pull it off the heat, cover, and let it steam 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3. While the quinoa cooks, pull the meat off the rotisserie chicken and shred it with two forks. This is the shortcut you're allowed — the bird is already cooked, and you spend the time you saved on everything else.
4. Whisk the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Thin with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pours off the spoon in a ribbon.
5. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and zucchini in a single layer and season with the cumin, smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Sauté 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas crisp and the zucchini browns at the edges.
6. Add the spinach and toss 30-60 seconds, just until it wilts. Pull the pan off the heat — spinach goes from right to ruined in about a minute.
7. Build the bowls: quinoa on the bottom, then the shredded chicken, then the sautéed chickpeas and zucchini. Top with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and feta.
8. Spoon the yogurt sauce over each bowl and serve. Nothing fancy here — just components done right and stacked with intent.