Throwing it back to the childhood days with these Healthy Popcorn Chicken Bowls! Inspired by those school lunches and KFC bowls filled with mashed potatoes and topped with crispy fried chicken, corn, and gravy. Please tell me I’m not the only one who loved those as a kid? Well, this is a much healthier version of those bowls, and if I’m being honest, a tastier version too!

Creamy mashed sweet potato is swapped in as the base of this bowl, and they really add a whole new layer of flavor to this nostalgic dish. Mashed only with a little bit of ghee and salt and pepper, they’re a little buttery and so delicious. The sweetness of the potatoes really pairs well with the flavors in the chicken and gravy.

I couldn’t resist adding a little green to my version of this bowl with some perfectly roasted broccoli. The corn is skillet roasted to a dreamy golden brown that really brings out the flavor and elevates it from just the regularly cooked corn you would find in the original bowls.

Now, the star of the show. The popcorn chicken. Made using dairy-free milk, whole wheat panko or breadcrumbs, a little whole wheat flour, and some ground flax, these popcorn chicken bites are a much healthier alternative than the traditionally deep fried nuggets. You can really opt for either panko or breadcrumbs. The panko gives a slightly crunchier coating, though it does take a little more effort to get it to stick onto the chicken initially.

The gravy is SO easy and made using only two simple ingredients: chicken bone broth and flour. Regular chicken broth works too, but I like that bone broth is already a little thicker from the get-go. It also has a lot of healthy benefits such as helping support a healthy gut and joints.

Put everything together in a bowl, maybe sprinkle in a little dairy-free cheese (or normal cheese if you’re not aiming for strictly dairy free) and you have yourself one heck of a delicious dinner! It’s reminiscent of that childhood favorite, but so much better for you. You really can’t go wrong with this meal.

If you do give these Healthy Popcorn Chicken Bowls a try, be sure to comment below and/or tag me on Instagram and let me know how you like them! I love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by!
Take care xx
Slim

Healthy Popcorn Chicken Bowls

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the sweet potatoes:

3 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 ½ tbsp ghee (or olive oil for dairy-free)
Salt and pepper

For the broccoli:

12oz of broccoli florets (or a large head of broccoli cut into florets)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

For the popcorn chicken:

1 lb chicken breast tenders
½ cup dairy-free milk
¾ cup whole wheat panko or breadcrumbs
¼ cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Olive oil for drizzling

For the corn:

2 cups frozen sweet corn
1 tbsp olive oil

For the Gravy:

2 cup chicken bone broth
2 tbsp flour

Optional for topping: Shredded dairy-free cheese.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425℉ and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the sweet potato in a large pot that all pieces are submerged in water. Bring to a boil and leave for 15 - 20 minutes, or until tender enough to mash. When done, drain and then mash with a fork, mixing in the ghee and salt and pepper as you do.
In the meantime, toss the broccoli in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on one of the baking sheets. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
For the chicken, cut the tenders into ~1 inch pieces and place them in a bowl with the dairy-free milk. Toss to ensure each piece is coated. In a bowl, mix together the panko/breadcrumbs, flour, flaxseed, and smoked paprika until well combined.
Toss each piece of chicken in the mixture, pressing it on so that it sticks. Place on the other baking sheet. Be sure to space them out so they are not touching. Drizzle or brush the tops with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
For the corn, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook until browned.
For the gravy, add the bone broth to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the flour to avoid clumps and reduce to simmer until mixture thickens to a gravy texture.
Once all components are ready, assemble the bowls by putting the sweet potato as a base for the chicken, corn, and broccoli. Top with gravy (and cheese if you’d like) and enjoy!