This Roots Bowl Copycat Recipe is from one of my favorite healthy fast food restaurants—Roots Natural Kitchen. They call this bowl The Southern Roots Bowl as it’s filled with barbecue protein, kale, roasted corn and broccoli, pickled onions, sautéed chickpeas & smothered in a lemon tahini dressing!
A few summers ago—I went to Roots Natural Kitchen for the first time & was hooked! Their flavor combos are absolutely divine, creative, and savory!
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Make The Southern Roots Bowl Copycat Recipe!
I like to let the chicken thighs marinade in the barbecue sauce at least 2 hours before making this bowl!
When you’re ready to start, preheat the oven to 375℉. Toss the broccoli, corn, and chickpeas in a light drizzle of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and a sprinkle of salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes!
Combine the quinoa, chicken stock, and 1 cup of water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, cover, set to medium heat and cook another 15 minutes.
To cook the chicken, add the chicken thighs, barbecue sauce (our marinade) and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder to a medium pan. Let the chicken cook until all of the sauce is gone. You’ll then want to crisp each side for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Make sure the internal temperature is at least 165℉.
While everything cooks, chop the kale & make the dressing!
To make the lemon tahini dressing, add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender & blend until smooth! If the dressing needs more liquid, add warm water until it’s the consistency you prefer.
Once everything is finished, add it all to a large bowl, toss, top with red bell pepper and pickled red onions and serve!
How To Make Pickled Onions
In my opinion, the pickled red onions are a must & so easy to make! I use only 5 ingredients—1 red onion, 1 cup white or apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, & 2 teaspoons of honey!
Chop the onions into fine slices & add to a jar. Add the vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and honey over top. Boil the water, pour on top, shake, and you’re done! Keep refrigerated until you’re ready to serve!
Lemon Tahini Dressing
The lemon tahini dressing is also so easy to make. The best part is that you can make it ahead of time. Simply combine the chickpeas, tahini, lemon , vinegar, garlic powder, honey, salt & pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend the ingredients until you have a super creamy dressing that is an easy consistency to pour! If the dressing isn’t the consistency you like—add warm water until it is!
Another Delicious Roots Bowl
I’m going to let you in on another little secret! The Cilantro Lime Chicken Roots Bowl (El Jefe)! This is another copycat recipe I make that my family loves! The flavors are more zesty than the Southern bowl!
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken Thighs
- 1 Cup Rice
- 2 Lime juiced
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin
- 2 Tablespoon Garlic
- 1/2 Cup Cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend
- 2 Cobbs Corn roasted
- 1 Can Black Beans
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
- Salt & Pepper
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Cup Cilantro
- 1 Cup Green Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1/4 Cup White Balsamic
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
Directions!
Cut the corn off the cobb and roast in the oven on 400° for 10 minutes, or until crisped. You can also char your corn on the grill.
Start the rice & put the black beans on the stove.
In the meantime, get your food processor or blender to make the Cilantro Lime Dressing. Blend the avocado, cilantro, green onion, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, white balsamic, & salt.
Chop the red onion and cherry tomatoes
Once the rice is fully cooked add lime, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper to make the cilantro lime rice.
Take the chicken out of the marinade and bake or grill. chop your chicken into strips.
Make your bowls! Add the rice, chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, and onion then drizzle the dressing over your bowl. I like to add feta & avocado as garnish and a drizzle of sriracha & fresh lime to top it off. Toss all ingredients for the best flavor!
The Roots Technique!
When you go to Roots Natural Kitchen, they put all of the ingredients in a big bowl and toss everything. This is usually what I like to do—it blend the flavors perfectly and can not be forgotten!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Roots copycat bowls have become go-to dishes at our house!
Roots Bowl Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs
- 1 Cup Quinoa
- 2 Cups Kale chopped
- 2 Cups Broccoli
- 1 Can Chickpeas
- 1 Can Corn
- 1 Cup Barbecue Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1 Can Chickpeas
- 1/4 Cup Tahini
- 1 Lemon juiced
- 1/4 Cup White Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon Honey
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Toppings
- Pickled Red Onions
- Red Bell Pepper
Instructions
- I like to let the chicken thighs marinade in the barbecue sauce at least 2 hours before making this bowl!
- When you’re ready to start, preheat the oven to 375℉. Toss the broccoli, corn, and chickpeas in a light drizzle of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and a sprinkle of salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes!
- To cook the chicken, add the chicken thighs, barbecue sauce (our marinade) and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder to a medium pan. Let the chicken cook until all of the sauce is gone, then crisp each side for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Make sure the internal temperature is at least 165℉.
- While everything cooks, chop the kale & make the dressing!
- To make the lemon tahini dressing, add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender & blend until smooth! If the dressing needs more liquid, add warm water until it’s the consistency you prefer.
- Once everything is finished, add it all to a large bowl, toss, and serve!
Emmy! The Southern is one of my favorite. I like it with chicken! Thanks for the copycat recipe, it was fun to make at home!
I’m glad you liked it Kayla!!
The pickled onions and dressing make it! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been trying to make a copycat of this for a while. The flavor combos are amazing. Thanks Emmy!