This BBQ Chicken Bowl recipe is a complete meal with rice, beans, grilled chicken, grilled zucchini, bell peppers, and corn. It is a chicken bowls that’s healthy, easy to make ahead, and topped with the best homemade BBQ ranch sauce.

Looking for more grilling recipes? Try Cedar Plank Salmon, Steak Kabobs, Easy Grilled Pizza, or the Best Black Bean Burger!

A BBQ Chicken Bowl with rice, grilled chicken and veggies, avocado, and a homemade BBQ ranch sauce.

Why I love this recipe:

  • Healthy – Packed with veggies and protein, these chicken rice bowls will make you feel your best!
  • Grilled – It keeps the kitchen clean, and the grilled flavor on the chicken and veggies just can’t be beat!
  • Make-Ahead – Make the sauce, marinate the meat, and chop the veggies ahead of time, so dinner won’t take any time at all!

How to Make a BBQ Chicken Bowl:

Prepare the Rice: Sauté chopped onion and rice in a saucepan on medium heat for a few minutes, until the rice starts to get golden brown. Add cumin, chicken broth, and black beans. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, rest for 5 minutes, then gently fluff with fork.

Process pictures for rice showing uncooked rice with onion then a picture of cooked rice and black beans for BBQ Chicken Bowls.

Make BBQ Ranch Sauce: Combine barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, buttermilk, greek yogurt, honey, garlic powder, dill, parsley, onion powder, and salt and pepper.

All the ingredients in a bowl for a homemade BBQ Ranch sauce, ready to be mixed.

Marinate and Grill Chicken: Place chicken in a shallow dish and baste with ¾ cup BBQ Ranch Sauce. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to a few hours. Grill the chicken over medium heat, flipping once, until cooked through. Rest on a plate for 5 minutes before cutting.

Two images showing raw chicken being marinated, and then freshly grilled chicken.

Cook Vegetables: Use a grill basket or a grill pan on the stove to cook the zucchini and bell peppers. You can also cook the ears of corn on the grill or on the grill pan.

Two images showing grilled zucchini, bell peppers, and corn for BBQ Chicken Bowls.

Assemble: Spoon cooked rice into bowls then top with chicken, grilled zucchini, bell peppers, corn, and sliced avocado. Drizzle BBQ ranch sauce on top and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Make Ahead Instructions:

To Make Ahead: These chicken bowls are easy to prep ahead! Just toss the marinade on the chicken, make the sauce, and chop the veggies. Keep everything in the fridge. Dinner will be a breeze!

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Recipe

A BBQ Chicken Bowl with rice, grilled chicken and veggies, avocado, and a homemade BBQ ranch sauce.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total 50 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

Chicken and Veggies:

  • 4 chicken breast halves , or two large breasts, halved, to make 4 thin pieces
  • 1 zucchini , washed and sliced into 1/4” thick rounds
  • 1 red bell pepper washed, seeded and sliced
  • 3 ears corn , grilled, or substitute 1 ½ cups cooked corn
  • 1 avocado , peeled, seeded and sliced
  • fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired

Rice:

BBQ Ranch Sauce:

Instructions
 

For the Rice:

  • Add oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and rice and saute, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes or until rice begins to get golden brown. 
  • Add cumin, chicken broth and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff gently with a fork. Set aside.

For Homemade BBQ Ranch Sauce:

  • Combine all sauce ingredients and mix well in a bowl.

For the Chicken and Veggies:

  • Meanwhile, place chicken in a shallow dish and baste with ¾ cup BBQ Ranch Dressing. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. 
  • To grill the zucchini and bell peppers you can use a grill basket and cook them over medium heat on the grill, or use a grill pan on the stove. You can also cook the ears of corn on the grill or on the grill pan on the stove.  
  • After the veggies are cooked, add the marinated chicken to the grill over medium heat.
  • Cook for several minutes, flipping once, until cooked through. Remove to a plate to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
  • Spoon cooked rice into bowls. 
  • Top with chopped, cooked chicken, grilled zucchini, bell peppers, corn and sliced avocado. 
  • Drizzle BBQ Ranch Sauce on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
  • You might also like these Honey Lime Chipotle Chicken Fajita Bowls!

Notes

Instant Pot Rice: Reduce broth to 1.5 cups. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes. Open lid and pour rinsed black beans on top. Cover with lid and allow to warm for 5 minutes before fluffing rice with a fork.
Make Ahead Instructions: These chicken bowls are easy to prep ahead! Just toss the marinade on the chicken, make the sauce, and chop the veggies. Keep everything in the fridge. Dinner will be a breeze!

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 29gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 1012mgPotassium: 1112mgFiber: 9gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 902IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 3mg

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I originally shared this recipe April 2016. Updated July 2022.

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is the best thing I’ve made in a month. The dressing is really the icing on the bowl. Be sure and let that chicken blacked a bit. I cooked on stove top.

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