This is super foods of all super foods and my kids LOVED it. They went back for seconds and thirds and they were all disappointed when there was no more quinoa and salad, and I’ll be honest, most especially chicken to eat. Even my four year old bragged to his uncle, “I like to eat salad.” I’m the kind of healthy eater that thinks I deserve some kind of reward when my main dinner includes both quinoa and salad greens, so we ate warm brownies for dessert. We did earn them, but with really no trouble or pain on our part.
This isn’t just a get through it and survive healthy dinner; this quinoa bowl is as good as dinner can get. It’s good for you, it’s filling, and the lime, chipotle and avocado compliment each other perfectly. You should try this as soon as you can.
A couple of tips: You can find the chipotles in adobo in the Mexican food section of your grocery store. You have to rinse quinoa and cook it in veggie or chicken broth or it will taste bitter. This requires marinading time for the chicken, so plan accordingly.
Serves 5
Honey Chipotle Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from a can of chipotles in adobo
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoon dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salad
6 cups spring greens
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup torn fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 avocados, sliced
Quinoa
1 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
Honey Lime Dressing
3 large limes juiced and zest grated (About 6 tablespoons total of lime juice)
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Prepare the marinade for the chicken: combine the adobo sauce, honey, dijon mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Add the chicken to a large resealable bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
Prepare the quinoa: Wash quinoa at least 3 times in a strainer. Add quinoa and chicken broth to a rice cooker and turn on. If you’re cooking on the stove top add chicken broth and quinoa to a medium sauce pan on the stove, cover and bring it to a low simmer for about 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Cook the chicken: heat the olive oil in a fry pan over medium-low heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes per side, until the temperature registers 165º on an instant read thermometer. Watch the chicken and make sure the marinade isn’t burning. You might need to flip it a couple of times to ensure it doesn’t burn. Let the chicken rest in aluminum foil. Thinly slice the meat when you are ready to serve.
While the chicken is cooking prepare the honey-lime dressing by whisking together the lime juice, lime zest, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Divide the dressing into three equal portions. (You should have about 3/4 cup total, or three 1/4 cup portions.) After the quinoa has finished cooking, gently stir in 1/4 cup of the dressing with the quinoa. Toss another 1/4 cup dressing with the spring greens. Keep the remaining 1/4 cup to drizzle on individual servings.
To serve: Place about 1/2 cup of quinoa in a bowl and 1 cup of salad greens. Top with the chicken, sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, green onions and sprinkle with cilantro. Drizzle a bit of dressing over the top.
Recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats
- Honey Chipotle Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Salad
- 6 cups spring greens
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup torn fresh cilantro
- 4 green onions, sliced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 avocados, sliced
- Quinoa
- 1½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 3 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- Honey Lime Dressing
- 3 large limes juiced and zest grated (About 6 tablespoons total of lime juice)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Prepare the marinade for the chicken: combine the adobo sauce, honey, dijon mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Add the chicken to a large resealable bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
- Prepare the quinoa: Wash quinoa at least 3 times in a strainer. Add quinoa and chicken broth to a rice cooker and turn on. If you’re cooking on the stove top add chicken broth and quinoa to a medium sauce pan on the stove, cover and bring it to a low simmer for about 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
- Cook the chicken: heat the olive oil in a fry pan over medium-low heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes per side, until the temperature registers 165º on an instant read thermometer. Watch the chicken and make sure the marinade isn't burning. You might need to flip it a couple of times to ensure it doesn't burn. Let the chicken rest in aluminum foil. Thinly slice the meat when you are ready to serve.
- While the chicken is cooking prepare the honey-lime dressing by whisking together the lime juice, lime zest, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Divide the dressing into three equal portions. (You should have about ¾ cup total, or three ¼ cup portions.) After the quinoa has finished cooking, gently stir in ¼ cup of the dressing with the quinoa. Toss another ¼ cup dressing with the spring greens. Keep the remaining ¼ cup to drizzle on individual servings.
- To serve: Place about ½ cup of quinoa in a bowl and 1 cup of salad greens. Top with the chicken, sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, green onions and sprinkle with cilantro. Drizzle a bit of dressing over the top.