This marriage of nutritional superstars is sure to bowl you over with fresh flavours, great textural contrasts, and visual appeal. Not just for the birds, millet has great corny flavour, and cooking it in cilantro water is a way to make it even better with extra herby taste. To make each bowl shine even brighter green, you can swap out black beans for edamame or lima beans. It can also become vegetarian by swapping out chicken for cubes of smoked tofu. Serve the bowls for lunch or dinner.
Pile It On
To transport this recipe for workday lunches, pile ingredients into Mason-style glass jars. Simply divide sauce among 4 jars and then top with millet, chicken, beans, greens, and pumpkin seeds, in that order.
Chicken Millet Bowls with Green Goddess Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) packed cilantro
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup (250 mL) millet
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 small avocado, peeled and pitted
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) packed basil
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) packed parsley
- 2 green onions, green parts only
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne
- 2 cups (500 mL) spring greens
- 2 cups (500 mL) chopped cooked organic chicken
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) cooked or canned black beans
- 4 Tbsp (60 mL) unsalted pumpkin seeds
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories592
- protein37g
- fat24g
- saturated fat4g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates59g
- sugars1g
- fibre14g
- sodium245mg
Directions
01
Blend together cilantro, 2 cups (500 mL) water, and a couple pinches of salt in blender. Bring cilantro water to a boil in medium saucepan, stir in millet, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and millet is tender. Set pan aside for 5 minutes and then fluff millet with fork.
02
Place oil, lime juice, 3 Tbsp (45 mL) water, avocado, basil, parsley, green onion, garlic, and salt in blender container and blend until nearly smooth. Add water, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) at a time, to help with blending and to reach desired smooth consistency.
03
To serve, divide millet among 4 serving bowls and top with greens, chicken, beans, and avocado sauce. Sprinkle on pumpkin seeds.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
