Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Cream

This recipe just might be the perfect weeknight dinner.  Fast, flavorful, and delicious, it can be made on the fly with just a few ingredients.  One of the more surprising elements here is the quinoa. It's a really versatile grain that is packed with protein and is a fun alternative to rice.

This version pairs really nicely with the slightly spicy blackened chicken.  For me, I added a little more ground red pepper to add more kick, but left the recipe as is for my son.  When made as the recipe states, there's more of a low, warmth to this dish rather than spiciness. However, paired with the coolness of the avocado cream, this dish is really as close to perfect as it can get. 

If you're interested, you can find another recipe for Quinoa here. 

Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Cream
(Serves 2)

For the Chicken:
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
½ tsp of Paprika
¼ tsp of Salt
¼ tsp of Pepper
¼ tsp of Cayenne Pepper
¼ tsp of Onion Powder
¼ tsp of Cumin
1 tsp of Olive Oil

For the Quinoa:
2 Cups of Low Sodium Chicken Stock
1 Cup of Quinoa
Juice and Zest from 1 Lime
A Dash of Salt and Pepper
2 Tbs of Cilantro, chopped

For the Avocado Cream:
1 avocado, skin and pit removed
2 Tbs. greek yogurt or sour cream (whatever you have on hand)

Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl. Mix them together and then season both sides of each chicken breast, pressing the rub into the meat of the chicken.

Add the teaspoon of olive oil to a large pan or skillet. Heat the olive oil for a minute over medium/high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes on each side with the lid on, or until blackened and cooked through.

Add the chicken stock and quinoa to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes with the lid on, until all the stock has been absorbed.

After the chicken breasts have cooked all the way through, turn the heat off the pan and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing them.

Serve the sliced chicken breast on top of the quinoa. If you find the blackened seasoning too spicy, you can add a quick and easy avocado cream sauce to cool it down.

Add the warm quinoa to a large bowl. Toss in the lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper, and chopped cilantro. Mix to combine.

For the Avocado cream: Mix, blend, or whip (your choice!) together the flesh of the avocado and the greek yogurt. Spoon over the chicken and quinoa. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables

I received this recipe from a friend and coworker who had taken a cooking class recently. She said that it was the most delicious dish the class had made that night...so I knew I had to see what it was all about.

This was my first time making quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) and I was interested to see if I liked what it was all about. According to Wikipedia (hey, I do my research for you guys because I care), quinoa is a grain that is known for it's high protein content. It's also a good source of dietary fiber. This means good things for you and me. As any dieter knows, you want foods that are high in fiber and protein (especially protein because it keeps you feeling full) but low in fat and calories. Well, it doesn't get much better than this grain.

In this dish, I've combined roasted vegetables with the quinoa, but you could definitely grill them. For me, it's been pretty cold and rainy, so I opted for the oven. It was delicious, very filling, and wonderful both warm and cold. I feel like this dish will be making many appearances at summer bbq's and get-togethers this year.

I hope you try it and find it to be as different and refreshing as I did!



Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables
For the quinoa:
1C quinoa
2C chicken (or vegetable) stock

For the vinaigrette:
1 shallot, minced
3 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C parmesan cheese, finely grated
salt
pepper

For the vegetables:
Vegetables, cut into small uniform pieces (I used 8oz. portabella mushrooms, 1 small yellow squash, 1 small zucchini, 1 medium onion, 6 oz. cherry tomatoes)
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

finishing touches:
1/4 C Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 C pine nuts, lightly toasted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (for the veggies).

Heat the quinoa and stock in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed (about 15 - 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette by putting the shallot, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl. Drizzle in oil while whisking constantly. Add cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper - adjust to your tastes.

On a sheet pan scatter the cut vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 450 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

**Alternately, you can grill the veggies if the weather is cooperating with you!

To assemble the salad, combine the quinoa, veggies, vinaigrette, parsley, and pine nuts in a large bowl. Toss to combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Enjoy!