Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm Copycat Recipe

Name: Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm Copycat Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast ((about 2 chicken breasts)); Lightly drizzle or spray with olive oil, sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic powder (and optional umami seasoning).; 2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets; Lightly drizzle or spray with olive oil, sprinkle of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (and optional umami seasoning); 6 cups baby spinach; 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa and 1 1/3 cups water ((~2 cups cooked quinoa)); 1 1/2 cups sliced grape or cherry tomatoes; 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs ((Za'atar bread crumbs (see post), other breadcrumbs of choice, or croutons of choice)); Hot sauce drizzle; 2 cups packed basil; 1 teaspoon garlic; 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1/3 cup olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Optional: pinch of umami seasoning

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This recipe is our simplified version of the Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm bowl. It features baby spinach topped with warm quinoa, roasted chicken, spicy broccoli, cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan, and your favorite breadcrumbs or croutons.

Overhead shot of chicken pesto parm bowl.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you're a fan of our Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl recipe with sweet potatoes, give our version of their Chicken Pesto Parm Salad a try! It is delicious, easy to make at home, and will save money.
While this recipe has multiple components that need to be prepared, we have simplified it to make less work on your end while still resulting in a delicious salad.
This recipe is a great option if you are looking for something to meal prep throughout the week. It is easy to portion out into individual servings and grab and go for later!
It is so tasty! There are so many different flavors and textures that come together to make an amazing salad.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed for chicken pesto parm.

Ingredients for salad

Baby spinach - you will need about 6 cups of baby spinach for this recipe. We like to buy the bigger container of spinach at the grocery store.
Quinoa and water - we have found that our directions for cooking quinoa have worked each time we have tried it, however, feel free to follow the package directions on your quinoa as well. We usually do double the amount of water than quinoa.
Boneless skinless chicken breast - you will need 2-3 chicken breasts, depending on their size. For a quick and easy no-bake option, you can also use rotisserie chicken.
Spicy broccoli - to make the spicy broccoli, simply drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Cherry tomatoes - all you will need to do is rinse your tomatoes and cut them in half! Cherry or grape tomatoes will work here.
Shaved parmesan - we love to use parmesan cheese shavings for this recipe as we love the flavor that comes through with the larger shaved pieces. However, feel free to use shredded or grated parmesan if that's what you have on hand.
Optional:
- Bread crumbs - the traditional Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm recipe includes Za'atar breadcrumbs on their Chicken Pesto Parm bowl which adds great crunch and flavor. However, we recognize this is an extra step, so decided to keep it optional for those nights when you're in a rush to get dinner on the table! You can choose to add your favorite breadcrumbs or croutons to this salad instead or make your own Za'atar breadcrumbs by adding some Za'atar seasoning to breadcrumbs. All you will need to do is put some crusty bread into a food processor to make fine breadcrumbs. Pour them out onto a small nonstick pan, drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with Za'atar seasoning. Cook over medium heat until golden brown and crispy.
- Hot sauce - this is optional! Sweetgreen offers a small container of hot sauce along with the dressing to give the salad a little kick.
- Umami seasoning - the traditional Sweetgreen recipe uses umami seasoning to season the chicken, broccoli, and pesto vinaigrette. We made this seasoning optional for this recipe as not everyone has umami on hand. If you want to add umami seasoning, you can find it at several grocery stores including Walmart, Target, or Trader Joe's. Feel free to add a little bit if you like umami seasoning and have it on hand!

Ingredients for pesto vinaigrette

Fresh basil - you will need two cups of fresh basil for this recipe.
Garlic - we use pre-minced garlic for the dressing, but feel free to mince your own fresh garlic as well.
Apple cider vinegar - a few tablespoons to create the vinegary flavor.
Olive oil - the oil to bring the dressing all together.
Salt - a small amount of salt to enhance the flavors.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Equipment You’ll Need

Two baking sheets or baking dishes
Cutting board and knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Digital meat thermometer* (optional)
Small sauce pan
A food processor* or blender

Step by Step Directions

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

A baking dish with raw chicken breast seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butterfly each chicken breast, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and place in a parchment-lined 8x10 pan or on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

A baking dish with broccoli seasoned with salt, pepper, and red pepper flake.

Cut the broccoli into small florets and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss until the broccoli is coated evenly.

Place both pans in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the broccoli is tender and slightly crisp. Keep an eye on the broccoli and pull it out before the chicken if it finishes before the 15 minutes are up. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting. Once cool, cut the chicken into small cubes (bite-sized pieces).

While the chicken and broccoli are cooking, add the quinoa and water to a saucepan over medium-high to high heat. Bring to a boil. Once at a boil, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Set a timer for 11 minutes while the quinoa cooks. Once the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat and let the pan sit with the lid on for 5 minutes. Then fluff the quinoa with a fork and leave it to cool.

While the other items are cooking or cooling, begin to prepare the pesto vinaigrette if you did not make it before hand. Simply add the basil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and salt to a food processor or blender and pulse until well blended and smooth.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves.

Assemble the bowl. Add spinach, quinoa, chicken, spicy broccoli, tomatoes, parmesan, and bread crumbs of choice. Drizzle with the pesto vinaigrette and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

As mentioned in the ingredients section above, you can choose to vary your toppings according to your preferences. You can add some hot sauce or make Za'atar breadcrumbs.
Umami seasoning is optional, but you can add a few sprinkles to the chicken, broccoli, and pesto dressing if you like the umami seasoning!
We recommend serving this bowl with some fresh, crusty bread!

FAQ

How should I store leftovers?

We recommend storing each ingredient in separate airtight containers or dividing out portions into individual servings. If you make breadcrumbs, store them in an airtight container outside of the refrigerator. Store the dressing in a separate airtight container as well.

Is it (GF/DF/V/VG)?

Make it gluten-free: the salad on it's own is gluten-free. However, make sure to choose gluten-free toppings, such as gluten-free breadcrumbs or croutons.
Make it dairy-free: simply omit the parmesan cheese.
Make it vegetarian: omit the chicken breast. If you are still looking for a protein source to add to your salad, you could try adding chickpeas (raw or roasted).
Make it vegan: omit the chicken breast and parmesan cheese. If you are still looking for a protein source to add to your salad, you could try adding chickpeas (raw or roasted).

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If you make this Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm warm bowl, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!