Crafting a delicious and healthy meal doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. The BBQ Chicken Bowl is a vibrant, satisfying dish inspired by the popular Sweetgreen menu, packed with succulent BBQ chicken, perfectly roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy rice, creamy avocado, tangy pickled onions, and a refreshing green goddess ranch dressing. This recipe empowers you to recreate that fresh, customizable salad bar experience right in your own kitchen, making it ideal for both busy weeknights and efficient meal prep.

Sweetgreen Copycat BBQ Chicken Bowls: Your Ultimate Healthy Meal!

For those who adore the fresh, vibrant, and incredibly satisfying bowls from Sweetgreen, you know the magic lies in the thoughtful combination of ingredients and irresistible dressings. My journey into replicating these culinary delights began with my beloved Hot Honey Chicken Bowls. Today, I’m thrilled to share another successful copycat that brings the essence of Sweetgreen’s menu right to your dining table: the BBQ Chicken Bowl. It’s not just a meal; it’s an experience of wholesome, balanced flavors that will quickly become a family favorite.

The secret to nailing this copycat recipe truly started with perfecting their amazing Green Goddess Dressing. Once that creamy, herb-packed dressing was just right, constructing the BBQ Chicken Bowl became a delightful and surprisingly straightforward process. By pairing it with my go-to Roasted Sweet Potatoes and a wonderfully simple method for preparing BBQ chicken, every element harmonized beautifully. The result is a bowl that’s not only incredibly tasty but also incredibly simple to prepare, especially if you leverage time-saving hacks like using rotisserie chicken and prepping the dressing in advance. Dinner time stress? Consider it solved!

Why You’ll Love This Healthy BBQ Chicken Bowl Recipe

Beyond being a fantastic Sweetgreen copycat, this BBQ Chicken Bowl offers numerous reasons to earn a permanent spot in your recipe rotation:

• Unbeatable Flavor Profile: The sweet and smoky BBQ chicken, caramelized sweet potatoes, creamy avocado, and tangy pickled onions create a symphony of tastes and textures.
• Nutrient-Dense: Packed with lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of fiber from vegetables and beans, this bowl is a nutritional powerhouse.
• Highly Customizable: Easily adjust ingredients to suit your dietary preferences or what you have on hand. It’s a versatile base for culinary creativity.
• Perfect for Meal Prep: Many components can be prepared in advance, making assembly quick and effortless during busy weekdays.
• Family-Friendly: A crowd-pleaser that satisfies various palates, even picky eaters will find elements to enjoy.

Essential Ingredients for Your Sweetgreen BBQ Chicken Bowl

The beauty of this bowl lies in its fresh, wholesome ingredients. While the chicken and sweet potatoes are best made fresh for optimal flavor and texture, almost everything else can be prepped ahead of time to streamline your cooking process. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need for the core components:

For the Flavorful Chicken:

• Chicken: For ultimate convenience, grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store. Simply shred it, and you’re halfway there! If you prefer a homemade touch and an extra layer of flavor, prepare a batch of Sweetgreen copycat blackened chicken. Toss your chosen chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce to coat it thoroughly, ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor.
• BBQ Sauce: This is where you can truly personalize your bowl. Choose your go-to store-bought brand, or for an even fresher taste, try making your homemade BBQ sauce. Don’t be shy – add more sauce when warming the chicken if you desire an extra saucy experience.

For the Perfectly Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

• Sweet Potatoes: Opt for firm, medium-sized sweet potatoes. Peel them and cut them into even, 1/4-inch thick half-moon shapes. Uniformity is key here for consistent roasting, ensuring they all become tender and slightly caramelized at the same rate.
• Olive Oil: A generous drizzle of good quality olive oil is essential. It helps the sweet potatoes crisp up beautifully on the outside while remaining tender on the inside, and also enhances their natural sweetness during roasting.
• Paprika and Garlic Powder: These two spices are your secret weapon for adding a smoky, savory depth to the sweet potatoes, complementing the BBQ chicken perfectly. They contribute to that irresistible roasted flavor.
• Salt and Pepper: Simple seasonings that bring all the flavors together. Adjust to your taste preferences.

Building Your Ultimate BBQ Chicken Bowl: The Essential Components

While this BBQ Chicken Bowl may seem to have several components, the beauty is that many can be prepared in advance. This makes it an ideal candidate for meal prepping, allowing you to get a significant head start on dinner or enjoy healthy lunches throughout the week.

• White Rice: The fluffy base of our bowl. If you’re planning to meal prep, I highly recommend trying my baked rice recipe. It yields perfectly cooked, separate grains every time with minimal effort. Brown rice or quinoa are also excellent, fiber-rich alternatives.
• Green Goddess Dressing: This creamy, herb-infused dressing is a game-changer. It’s truly what elevates this bowl to Sweetgreen levels. Make it a day or two ahead and chill it in the refrigerator; the flavors will meld and intensify beautifully.
• Black Beans: A fantastic source of plant-based protein and fiber. Simply rinse and drain a can of black beans thoroughly. You can warm them gently on the stovetop or serve them at room temperature.
• Avocado: The creamy, luscious texture of ripe avocado adds a wonderful richness to the bowl. Ensure you use a perfectly ripe avocado for the best flavor and texture. Add it right before serving to prevent browning and keep it fresh.
• Pickled Onions: These vibrant, tangy onions are a true flavor enhancer. They add a delightful crunch and a bright, zesty counterpoint to the richness of the other ingredients. The best part? They can be made well ahead of time, often lasting a week or more in the fridge.

Strategic Meal Prepping for Easy BBQ Chicken Bowls

One of the greatest advantages of this BBQ Chicken Bowl recipe is its adaptability to meal prep. By preparing components in advance, you can enjoy healthy, homemade meals throughout the week with minimal effort during meal times. Here’s how to effectively meal prep your bowls:

• Chicken and BBQ Sauce: Cook your chicken and toss it with BBQ sauce. Store this mixture together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
• Sweet Potatoes and Rice: Roast your sweet potatoes and cook your rice. Keep them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. This prevents the sweet potatoes from getting soggy and maintains the rice’s texture.
• Dressing: Prepare your Green Goddess Dressing and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Giving it time allows the herbs and flavors to intensify.
• Avocado and Pickled Onions: Slice avocado fresh just before serving to prevent browning. Your homemade pickled onions will last wonderfully in the fridge for up to a week, making them a perfect make-ahead component.
• Assembly: When ready to eat, simply reheat your chicken, sweet potatoes, and rice. Assemble fresh in a bowl, adding the cold black beans, freshly diced avocado, pickled onions, and a generous drizzle of the chilled green goddess dressing.

Creative Variations & Customizations for Your Bowl

This BBQ Chicken Bowl recipe is incredibly versatile, inviting you to experiment with different ingredients and flavors to suit your taste or dietary needs:

• Protein Swaps: Not a fan of chicken? Try grilled shrimp, flank steak, or even plant-based options like crispy baked tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian-friendly bowl.
• Grain Alternatives: While white rice is classic, feel free to swap it for brown rice, quinoa, farro, or even cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
• Add More Veggies: Boost the nutrient content and crunch with additional vegetables. Roasted corn, bell peppers, sautéed spinach, shredded carrots, or cherry tomatoes would all be delicious additions.
• Different Dressings: If Green Goddess isn’t your preference, a creamy cilantro-lime sauce, a simple vinaigrette, or even a spicy sriracha ranch would work wonderfully.
• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your chicken or sweet potatoes for a touch of heat, or drizzle with a hot honey sauce.
• Cheese Please: A sprinkle of crumbled cojita cheese or shredded cheddar could add another layer of flavor and creaminess.

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★★★★★

5 from 2 votes

Sweetgreen Copycat BBQ Chicken Bowl

By
Chelsea Lords

This Sweetgreen copycat BBQ Chicken Bowl features savory BBQ chicken, perfectly roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy rice, creamy avocado, zesty pickled onions, and a refreshing green goddess ranch dressing for a healthy, satisfying meal.

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

35 minutes

Servings:

4 servings

Video

Equipment

• Large pan
• Sheet pan
• Blender (for dressing)

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2-1/2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded, or 1 batch blackened chicken
• 1/2 cup Honey-BBQ Sauce plus more as needed

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2 pounds (2 medium) sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick half moons (approximately 6 cups)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For Serving

• 1 cup uncooked white rice (yields approx. 3 cups cooked)
• 1 batch Green Goddess Dressing or cilantro-lime sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 large avocado diced, optional but highly recommended
• 1 batch pickled onions optional, adds great tang

Instructions

• 1. Prepare the Rice: Cook the white rice according to package directions, or for a hands-off approach and perfect results, try my favorite method for baking rice. Set aside to cool slightly.
• 2. Cook the Chicken: If using rotisserie chicken, shred it to yield approximately 2-1/2 cups. If making blackened chicken, prepare it as per the linked recipe. Add the prepared chicken to a large pan with 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce and stir gently to coat. Heat over medium-low heat until the chicken is warmed through, adding a splash more BBQ sauce if you desire a juicier consistency.
• 3. Roast Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large bowl, toss the peeled and sliced sweet potatoes with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, about 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Spread the seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Bake for 27–35 minutes, making sure to flip them every 10–15 minutes, until they are tender on the inside and nicely charred and caramelized on the edges.
• 4. Make the Dressing: Prepare the Green Goddess Dressing according to its recipe instructions. For the best flavor, make this ahead of time and chill it until you’re ready to assemble the bowls. This allows the fresh herbs to truly shine.
• 5. Assemble the Bowls: Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Artfully arrange the warm BBQ chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, and rinsed black beans over the rice. If using, add diced avocado and pickled onions to each bowl. Finish by generously drizzling the creamy green goddess dressing on top, adjusting to your taste preference. Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade Sweetgreen experience!

Recipe Notes

Storage Tips: To maximize freshness and make meal prep a breeze, store your BBQ Chicken Bowl components separately. The cooked chicken and BBQ sauce can be kept together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Similarly, store the roasted sweet potatoes and cooked rice in their own separate containers for the same duration. The Green Goddess Dressing, when stored in a sealed jar, will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Remember to slice your avocado fresh just before assembling your bowl to prevent browning. Pickled onions are excellent for meal prep and can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. For the best taste and texture, reheat the chicken, sweet potatoes, and rice gently, then assemble your bowl fresh with the cold toppings and dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving |
Calories: 710kcal |
Carbohydrates: 56g |
Protein: 33g |
Fat: 40g |
Saturated Fat: 8g |
Cholesterol: 102mg |
Sodium: 1343mg |
Potassium: 909mg |
Fiber: 5g |
Sugar: 8g |
Vitamin A: 306IU |
Vitamin C: 21mg |
Calcium: 159mg |
Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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