Recipe Monday - Chicken Quinoa

As requested by Shelley at Little Sparrow. A great simple and warming gluten free recipe. Adapted from 'Table' magazine



Quinoa (pronounced kinwa) is the seeds from an ancient south american plant. It's texture and uses can be likened to somewhere between rice and couscous. It is high in protein, iron and magnesium and is gluten free. I buy mine at the health food shop or the health food or gluten free section at the supermarket.

I took this away with us last summer for a camping trip. I made and froze the first part of the dish. It was then a simple one pot job to put it altogether and finish it over the camp fire.

Chicken Quinoa

Olive Oil
400 g Chicken
1 Onion
1 Red Capsicum, cut into strips
½ teaspoon each Ground Allspice & Cinnamon
2 cups Homemade Chicken Stock or Salt Reduced Commercial Stock
1 cup Quinoa rinsed
½ cup Slivered Almonds Toasted
½ cup Torn Mint

In a frying pan and cook Chicken in olive oil until brown, cooking in two batches may be best.
Remove chicken from pan, reduce heat, cook onion and capsicum stirring until soft. Add allspice, cinnamon and return chicken and toss to coat. At this point cooking can stop to cool and refrigerate or freeze for later.
Transfer chicken mix to heavy based pot. Stir in stock and quinoa and season to taste. Bring to the boil. Cover and turn off heat leaving until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
Alternatively use an oven safe dish and once stock has boiled transfer to 200° oven for approx 25 mins
Fluff up with a fork and top with almonds and mint to serve.

Yes this can be served without the mint, but I really do suggest the almonds or some other nut for the crunch texture.