A stop at Trader Joe’s turns a few ready-to-eat staples into hearty bowls my family can build themselves—no recipe or cooking required.
Key Points
- Trader Joe’s staples turn into Mediterranean-style chicken bowls with barely any prep.
- Cooked chicken, seasoned chickpeas and fresh veggies make it satisfying and easy to assemble.
- Everyone builds their own bowl, so they can have what they want.
Most days, my work as a food and grocery writer happens in the comfort of my home. On product research days, though, I can spend hours driving between cities and going to different stores to scope out new products and try new foods. I love this part of my job, but after a long day of travel, shopping and thinking constantly about food, I don’t want to figure out dinner, too.
If it were just me, I’d probably eat girl dinner. But as a parent, I still have to feed my kids, so I’ve learned to plan ahead in the lowest-effort way possible. I put an empty cooler and frozen ice packs in the car, add a Trader Joe’s stop to the route home and pick up the makings of these Mediterranean-style chicken bowls. Once home, the hardest part is chopping a couple of veggies. Then everyone builds a bowl, and we eat. Here’s what I buy and how we put it together.
The Core Components
Mediterranean-Style Salad Kit
This meal started as a TJ’s salad-in-a-bag situation. The Mediterranean-style salad kit has a romaine, shredded broccoli stalks and radicchio base, plus lots of texturally interesting add-ins and an herby red-wine vinaigrette. Toss it all together, and the fresh part of dinner is handled.
These days, after hearing about recent produce recalls, I’m more comfortable chopping my own, so I’ve been picking up Persian cucumbers and cherry tomatoes instead, and both are so tasty that I don’t miss the bag. The thin-skinned cukes are crisp and snappy, the tomatoes are sweet and juicy, and chopping takes about five minutes, which is the most “cooking” I do all night.
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Breast
A package of grilled chili-lime chicken breast is what makes this ensemble feel like a proper dinner. It comes fully cooked, sliced and seasoned with chili powder, paprika, garlic, cumin and a touch of lime, so all I have to do is open the package. I know that chili-lime isn’t particularly Mediterranean, but the cumin ties it to the chickpeas, so it works. I often serve it cold, but I’ll microwave or air-fry it briefly when we want something cozier. It’s also an easy way to get protein on our plates when cooking isn’t in the cards.
Greek Chickpeas with Parsley & Cumin
If TJ’s canned Greek chickpeas with parsley and cumin aren’t in your pantry yet, consider this your sign. Seasoned with lemon, parsley, cumin and garlic, they’re like a laid-back version of hummus. Because they’re packed in oil, they also provide a built-in dressing to help bring the chicken and vegetables together. If you’d rather skip it, spoon them out and leave the oil behind.
I’ve been trying to add more fiber to our meals in the form of beans, and chickpeas not only make the bowls more substantial, but everyone in my house likes them. My 5-year-old’s favorite food is “chicken” (he literally wrote this in kindergarten), and my daughter loves beans. Having two easy proteins means that everyone can tailor their bowl without having to prepare separate meals.
Pita Chips for Crunch
I’m a texture girl, and a bowl full of soft, tender or juicy ingredients needs something crunchy. TJ’s pita chips are perfect for the role. Sometimes I crumble some over my bowl right before eating so they stay crisp, or I leave them on the side for scooping, an approach that’s always a hit with my kids. They’re entirely optional, though. If I’m serving warm flatbread, I might skip the chips—or put both on the table and let everyone choose.
Flatbread or Brown Rice
I alternate between flatbread and rice depending on the kind of dinner we’re in the mood for. Sometimes I warm TJ’s Indian-style flatbread, and we tear it up to eat on the side. Other times, we wrap everything together like a sandwich. When we want grain bowls, the frozen, microwavable brown rice can be warmed up in just a few minutes. It’s a small change, but it makes dinner feel like a whole new meal.
How I Assemble Them
By the time I get home, I’m hungry and tired, and we all just want to eat. My husband or I slice the cucumbers, halve the tomatoes, warm the rice or flatbread and set everything out for everyone to help themselves. My bowl usually starts with rice and chickpeas, and then I add chicken and a big pile of vegetables. I might spoon over some of the seasoned oil from the chickpeas and crush a few pita chips on top. If there’s a lemon in the fridge, a squeeze over the top is lovely. But if I’m using a salad kit, I tend to stick with the dressing.
This is also a good dinner for using up whatever else is around. A spoonful of hummus or tzatziki adds creaminess. For something salty and tangy, I’ll sometimes add a little crumble of feta, or a few olives or peperoncini. Plus, we almost always have TJ’s garlic spread dip, and a spoonful on top makes my bowl extra flavorful. My husband and I also add hot sauce to practically everything.
Easy Swaps
If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, rotisserie chicken is an easy stand-in for the chili-lime chicken, and plain canned chickpeas seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and a pinch of salt come pretty close to the original version. Any sturdy greens or chopped vegetables can be your base, and store-bought pita, naan or any precooked grain can replace the flatbread and rice. For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and double up on chickpeas.
Why It Works
After a long day away, I want a dinner that feels delicious and satisfying, but I don’t want to embark on another project. The variety of options gives us plenty to enjoy, and everyone can make the version they want. My son can load up on chicken, my daughter can take extra chickpeas and I can add every vegetable and an extra handful of salty, crunchy pita chips. By the time I’ve unpacked the cooler and called everyone in, we can eat. As a busy mom, that’s my kind of work-trip souvenir.