Quinoa is a super nutritious, high protein grain native to the South American Andes. Quinoa has a delicious nutty taste, and is well-suited for pilaf-type recipes.
Some people (my husband and kids for example) avoid quinoa, mistakenly placing it in the same category as tofu - one of those good-for-you foods without flavor. But I tricked them with this chicken recipe. The quinoa made a delicious crunchy coating for these healthful chicken tenders, and my husband admitted that they were "actually pretty reasonable." That's high praise indeed!Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breast halves, sliced or pounded thin
- 1 1/4 cups quinoa
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Place quinoa in a sauce pan with the chicken broth, salt, and cumin, and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Cook 1-2 more minutes uncovered, stirring, until quinoa starts to stick to the pan.
- Remove quinoa from heat and spread thinly on a plate to cool.
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Mix the egg with 1 tablespoon water and place in another shallow bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the quinoa along with the paprika. Stir to mix.
- Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the quinoa mixture, patting the quinoa onto the chicken to coat.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place as many chicken pieces that will fit into the skillet and cook, turning once carefully with a spatula, about 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.
- Repeat with remaining chicken, adding a little more olive oil to the skillet as necessary.
- Serve warm.
