Holy Guacamole! It’s Patriot’s Day here in Boston, and it’s gonna be a hot one!! This is too hot for New England in April. Too hot for Marathon Monday. And certainly too hot for any serious cooking. Already moaning about having to make dinner? Don’t. Toss together this dish instead for a quick and healthy light supper. Quinoa, chicken, peas and peppers? Come on, get happy — like the Partridge family (la la la).
Wholesome, light, and great hot or cold, this only takes about 20 minutes to throw together. That’ll give you plenty of extra time to do whatever it is you like to do in the heat. If you’re a dog, lay in the coolest spot of the floor, even if that means you are exactly in the way, and loll that tongue out. For you chocoholics, go ahead and frantically re-arranging the fridge, tossing perishable items like eggs and cold cuts to the curb to make room for your chocolate chip stash. We can’t have them all melted, can we? And for the rest of you: I know you’ve been just itchin’ for a reason to have ice cream for lunch — today is the day 🙂
Quinoa and Chicken Bowls
Serves 4
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup of frozen peas, thawed
1 9-ounce package of ready-to-eat cooked chicken breast, like Perdue Short Cuts (or ~ 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken)
Salt and pepper to taste, if desired
1) Bring quinoa and water to a bowl. Lower heat to simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. When it is done, there will be no water left, and each tiny grain will have burst open a bit.
2) While quinoa is simmering, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and peas and saute 1 minute more.
3) Put chicken on a microwavable plate and microwave on high for about 90 seconds.
4) Add the cooked quinoa and heated chicken to the skillet. Stir until well-combined and everything is heated through. Season as desired.
4) Serve hot with grated Parmesan, or cold with a small splash of balsamic vinegar.
Enjoy!
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