Chicken, Onions & Tomatoes over Quinoa

This week is just a week of new things for me, first grits and now quinoa!  A reader asked me to try it out to give her some new options for it.  I've never had it but said, what the heck, why not.  I really am willing to give most anything a try and as quinoa is being touted as a super grain I couldn't think of a reason to not make this.  Tonight I used it as a base for a mix of veggies and chicken, in the same way I would normally use rice.

Stewed Chicken, Tomatoes and Onions over Quinoa: Serves 2-3
1 Chicken Breast (boneless/skinless)
Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
1 Large Onion
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1tsp Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic - Minced
1/2tsp Basil
1/2tsp Oregano
Salt & Pepper
1/2C Quinoa
1C Chicken Broth

Put chicken in a sauce pot, cover with chicken broth and add bay leaf and 1/4 of the onion to the mix. Bring to a boil and cook the chicken until it is cooked through and can be pulled apart easily with a fork. I use this same method to make chicken tacos and actually made this meat then and have kept in the refrigerator with some of the broth to keep it moist. Once the chicken has been pulled apart put it to the side.

While the chicken is cooking you can start the quinoa by placing it in a metal sieve and rinsing in cold water. Bring 1C Chicken Broth and rinsed Quinoa to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes until the water is gone and the little tails pop out of the grain.

While the quinoa is cooking you can start the tomato mix. In a large sauce pan add Olive Oil over medium heat, then add garlic. Cook for 20-30 seconds then add a can of diced tomatoes including the juice. Add onions, basil and oregano and cook it for 10 minutes on a low simmer. The tomato juice will start to reduce and the onions will get soft during this process. Add the pulled chicken to the mix and continue cooking until the quinoa is ready.

Serve over quinoa for a healthy yet tasty filling meal. I found the quinoa to be an interesting mix between rice and pasta as the tail of the grain had a slight crunch similar to rice while the body was a softer chewy texture. I will be using it again, and I think I will treat it as couscous for the most part where I flavor it to match the profile of the meal I am eating to make a successful side dish.

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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving @ 2 servings
5 Points Plus / serving @ 3 servings