Garlic Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Serves: 2
Time: 40 minutes
This is such a brilliant dish; it’s light but nourishing and will leave you feeling content without the heaviness. You can add and change it up in a million different ways (well maybe not a million) so it never really gets old. That makes it one of many that are a staple in our house all year round. Tonight I have lightly pickled the carrots which not only makes them taste scrumptious but because it breaks them down a little it makes them way easier to get on your fork. Raw carrots, while they look beautiful, sometimes can be a bit messy to eat. And because the pickled carrots add that little bit of juiciness, I haven’t used a dressing.
Leftovers
Lunch will be the same as dinner, just a touch lighter on the chicken.
What you'll need
1 cup of quinoa
2 garlic cloves
2 chicken breasts
3 large carrots
1 cucumber
1 bunch of red radishes
1 small bag of rocket
1 large avocado
From the Pantry
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
Optional Extras for Lunch
1 avocado
Feeding Four?
You have extra chicken, avocado and quinoa in your shopping list.
Prep and Cook
Preheat Oven to 180c
Cook Quinoa
Rinse quinoa in a sieve under cold running water then pop into a medium-sized pot with two cups of water and a pinch of salt.
Bring up to the boil and continue to cook until almost all the water has been absorbed and the surface of the quinoa looks a bit like bubbling craters or hot lava.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and remove from the heat to steam and absorb the remaining liquid.
Prep Carrots
Peel carrots and use either a juilienne peeler a spiral tool or a grater to make strips of carrot and pop the carrot into a medium bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar and mix together well.
Marinate Chicken
Finely chop garlic and mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. If you have any hard herbs or soft herbs floating round in the fridge this is a perfect way to use them up, just chop down and mix in with the garlic. Rub the chicken in the garlic and oil mix and season with salt and pepper.
Prep Salad
Peel cucumber and slice into rounds.
Cut radishes in half and place in a bowl and cover with cold water.
Slice the avocado in half and remove the stone, scoop out the flesh and slice into pieces lengthways.
Remove the lid from your quinoa and fluff with a fork.
Cook Chicken
Cooking Times Vary
With all meat products cooking times will vary depending on size and shape. I wasn't paying particularly close attention when I picked up my chicken and had one super sized jumbo breasts and one tiny little breast (free range so....)It's a good idea to get in the habit of doing the finger test with all meats - the more you touch during cooking, the more you will become familiar with cooking to feel.
Heat a good non-stick frypan on high heat with a dash of oil.
Carefully lay the chicken down in the pan, laying away from you and cook each side for 3 minutes to get the outside nice and golden. Then pop in the oven to finish for 8 minutes.
To check the chicken is done press down in the centre at the thickest point of the breast, if it springs back firm it’s done, if it presses in soft then continue cooking.
Take the chicken out of the oven and allow to rest for a couple of minutes.
Plate it Pretty
Sprinkle sesame seeds through your carrot.
Fill the base of the bowl with quinoa. Leave one large section of quinoa exposed then start working clockwise around the bowl placing each veg in its own section.
Slice chicken on a diagonal along the breast and lay 3/4 (reserving the rest for lunch) of the meat across the top slightly off centred.
Garnish with a sprig of herb.
Enjoy!
Lunch tomorrow
This is one that is excellent as a leftover lunch it is an exact replica of dinner just a touch lighter on the chicken.