I love quinoa. Ask me 2 years ago, and I’d never heard of it. Weird how 2 years ago, one hadn’t ever heard of an ancient grain before, but so it goes! I love how quick it cooks up (perfect for those “What’s for supper today” days). I love the nutty flavour it has behind it. That you can eat it hot or cold, and it’s great either way. And I love that you can do anything with it. Flavour it anyway you want. You want it to be filled with Greek flavours? Done! How about a nice creamy dessert (which is healthy enough for breakfast)? Done! Add some Mexican flair? Why not? It is a very versatile grain. And totally healthy too.
So, when I saw a recipe for a sandwich on a recipe site, I thought…those flavours would be absolutely perfect in a quinoa dish! Well, it was after the “oh my goodness, I wish I had bread good enough and big enough to hold that load of toppings!”. But, you do what you can, and I took the flavours from that sandwich, and incorporated them into this wonderful Southwest Chicken Mango Quinoa Salad.
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed & drained if necessary (mine says “Pre-rinsed”)
- 3 cups gluten-free chicken broth
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bit size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 mango, diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- In a medium size sauce pan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the quinoa and stir. Turn the heat down to low and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- In a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat, saute your chicken in the olive oil until nearly done. Season with salt & pepper.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the minced garlic, red onion, red pepper and jalapeno pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and stir.
- Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add in the chicken/onion mixture, lime juice, mango and cilantro and stir until mixed. Serve immediately, or allow to cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Ooh! This one sounds so yummy. I love quinoa and this would actually make a great meal to send in a lunchbox for school too!
Talk about what looks yummy! I’m loving all the fast, easy recipes lately! Thanks, and just so you know, we’re trying this out tomorrow night. Awesome!
I made this tonight….super tasty!!