Recipe Swap: Quinoa Chicken

It's time for another recipe swap hosted by Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking. This month's theme was blogger's choice. I was assigned to read through and select a recipe from The Jey of Cooking. I've visited Jey's blog before and was excited for the opportunity to try another recipe from her selection. It was a tough choice and I plan on pinning some of my many options. After much debating, I decided to make the Quinoa Chicken. I hadn't made quinoa in awhile and was eager to use the bag in my pantry. This chicken dish was fabulous! To make the recipe more weeknight friendly, I cooked the quinoa on the stovetop the day before and kept it in the fridge before roasting. If you are looking for a healthier alternative to a crispy breaded chicken, I suggest you give this a try. It was a great change of pace dinner for us and it'll surely be a repeat in our kitchen.

You will need:
*1 Cup Quinoa, rinsed
*2 Cups Chicken Broth
*4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
*1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
*1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme, chopped, plus additional for serving
*Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. Combine the rinsed quinoa and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.  (This is the step I did the night before)

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread cooked quinoa onto the sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 30 minutes. Cool a bit, then transfer to a shallow bowl.

 

4. Increase the oven temperature to 425. Place a baking rack over the previously used baking sheet. 

5. Combine the chicken, Dijon mustard, and thyme in a bowl; mix to coat. Place the coated chicken into the quinoa, one piece at a time, pressing to coat both sides then transfer to the baking rack. Spray the chicken lightly with olive oil and bake about 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with additional thyme if desired.