Californian Chicken and Veggie Bowl

At least 30 minutes before grilling, soak your skewers (if they are bamboo) in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from charring.

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, onion powder, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, parsley and basil. Add the chicken and toss well. Cover and place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Make the rice. Add the water to a medium size pot. Bring to a low boil and then add the rice. Stir to combine and then place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Add the red pepper and courgette. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. (Note* you can use a griddle pan instead - or a BBQ on those sunny evenings!)

Remove the chicken from the fridge and if using skewers, skewer the chicken (or if you do not have skewers you can leave the chicken whole and cut after grilling). Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, gently flipping 2-3 times until chicken is cooked through and has light char marks. While the chicken is grilling grill the zucchini for about 4 minutes on each side, or until tender and the red peppers for about 5 minutes flipping once or twice during cooking. You may also use a grill pan to do this or even just cook everything on the stove.

Remove everything from the grill and let cool 5 minutes. Once cool slice the red peppers into strips and if you have whole chicken breast cut those into cubes. Add the mashed avocados to a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

To assemble the bowls, divide the rice among 2 bowls or plates. Top each bowl of rice with equal amounts of chicken, grilled peppers and courgette. Add a large dollop of the avocados and then add the fresh tomatoes and walnuts. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Serve warm.