Lemon‑garlic roast chicken with quinoa, chickpeas and spinach
Protein‑packed roast chicken served on fluffy quinoa with crisp chickpeas and wilted spinach — perfect for post‑gym gains.
This dish is built for gains: lean roast chicken plus quinoa and chickpeas give you long‑lasting protein and slow carbs to repair muscle and keep you full. It’s quick to prep, bakes while you get other bits ready, and scales well if you meal‑prep for the week.
Bright lemon and smoked paprika lift the flavours so you won't feel like you're eating a plain gym meal. Make it on a Sunday and you’ve got four solid post‑workout dinners ready to go.
Ingredients
- 800 g skinless chicken breast
- 30 ml olive oil — plus 15 ml for frying chickpeas
- 40 ml lemon juice — about 1 lemon
- 3 garlic — cloves, crushed
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 10 ml salt — divide as needed
- 5 ml black pepper
- 240 g quinoa — rinsed
- 600 ml low-salt vegetable stock
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — drained and rinsed
- 200 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 150 g baby spinach
- 3 spring onions — sliced
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 5 ml red chilli flakes — optional
Equipment
- baking tray
- saucepan with lid
- frying pan
- colander
Instructions
Make the marinade: in a large bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, half the salt and the black pepper.
Add the skinless chicken breast to the bowl, toss to coat thoroughly, cover and refrigerate to marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Line a baking tray with baking paper or lightly oil it.
Place the marinated chicken on the prepared tray and roast in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
While the chicken roasts, cook the quinoa: rinse quinoa under cold water, put in a saucepan with the low-salt vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 12–15 minutes until the stock is absorbed.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave covered to rest for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Heat 15 ml olive oil in a frying pan over a medium hob. Add the drained tinned chickpeas and fry for 5–7 minutes until edges start to crisp. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook 2–3 minutes, then add the baby spinach and cook until just wilted (about 1–2 minutes). Stir through the sliced spring onions, remaining salt, red chilli flakes and a splash of lemon juice.
Mix the fluffy quinoa with the chickpea and spinach mixture. Slice the rested chicken and serve on top. Scatter the fresh coriander over everything and finish with a little extra lemon juice if you like.
Tips
- Dry the tinned chickpeas on kitchen paper before frying to help them crisp up — moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- If you have a meat thermometer, pull the chicken at 73–75°C and let it rest; carryover cooking will finish it without drying out.
- Cook a double batch of quinoa and roast extra chicken for two days of easy reheatable high‑protein meals.
- Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve under running water to remove bitterness from the natural coating (saponin).
- To reduce sodium, use no‑salt tinned chickpeas or rinse the drained chickpeas very well and use no added salt until serving.
Substitutions
quinoa → brown rice, same quantity (240 g) — increases cooking time to about 30–35 minutes
Stays closeskinless chicken breast → turkey breast, same weight — similar protein and texture
Stays closetinned chickpeas → frozen edamame, 300 g — slightly higher in protein and gives a greener finish
Stays closeolive oil → avocado oil, same quantity — neutral flavour and high smoking point
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 640
- Calories
- 61 g
- Protein
- 54 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 850 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this ahead for the week?
Yes — keep chicken and quinoa chilled in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken gently in the oven at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 10–12 minutes to avoid drying out.
How can I make it higher in calories if I’m bulking?
Add a drizzle of olive oil before serving, fold through 50–100 g crumbled feta or serve with a portion of avocado. That adds healthy fats and more calories without extra cooking.
Is quinoa essential for the protein?
Quinoa adds both protein and complete amino acids, but you can swap for brown rice or bulgur; you’ll lose a little protein per serving but still have a high‑protein meal thanks to the chicken and chickpeas.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of tinned?
Yes — soak and cook them first. Use about 200 g dried chickpeas (yield ~500 g cooked) and adjust frying time; note the recipe quantities are for tinned chickpeas.
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