Quinoa Chicken Pesto Bowl

3/13/14

     After my recent quinoa discovery, I had been wanting to make a new recipe that incorporated this tasty super food. When I came across a quinoa recipe with pesto, my eyes lit up and I knew it was the next dish I had to make. I am so in love with pesto I could literally put it on anything! This Quinoa Chicken Pesto Bowl is very similar to the ones found at Protein Bar, however, this recipe is much cheaper and you can make a big batch to eat for days.

     Since I have been feeling pretty tired lately, I decided that I needed a nutrient-rich dinner to help energize my body. This recipe includes vitamin A packed spinach, vitamin C and lycopene-filled tomatoes, whole grain and fiber rich quinoa, and cholesterol-reducing garlic. Adding pesto to these ingredients really kicks things up a notch and you don't even feel like you are eating a healthy meal!

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
3 Cups Quinoa
2 Roma Tomatoes
1 Clove Garlic
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Garlic Pepper
3 Cups Spinach
2-3 Tbsp Pesto
Sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese (or more if you would like!)

Directions:

1. Chop up the tomatoes and finely dice up the garlic.

2. Chop up the chicken into small pieces and toss with lemon garlic pepper (This makes them cook a much faster and provides more flavor).

3. Pour olive oil into a sauté pan and add garlic. Once the garlic is browned, add the chicken and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it is golden brown.

4. Add tomatoes to the sauté pan with the chicken for a minute or two to cook them down and incorporate more flavor.

5. If you already have pre-cooked quinoa (like I did), heat the quinoa up in a pan over med-low heat and add lemon garlic pepper.

6. For the spinach, you can wilt them over low heat to intensify the flavor, or just chop them up fresh.

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, quinoa, tomatoes, spinach, pesto, and cheese. Toss the ingredients around until everything is mixed evenly and... voila! There's your new and easy go-to meal =).

I love quinoa bowls because you can easily change it up by adding a variety of ingredients. Quinoa is the perfect, healthy base for so many different dishes. I encourage you to make up your own!

Enjoy and Happy Eating!