High Protein Garlic Chicken And Quinoa
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Place your cubed chicken breast in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried oregano. Toss the chicken pieces until they are evenly coated with the spices.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes in a single layer. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked through yet.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the pan with the chicken. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn but becomes fragrant.
- Add the rinsed quinoa and the chicken broth to the skillet. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the liquid is fully absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
- Once the quinoa is cooked, remove the lid and stir in the fresh baby spinach. The heat from the pan will wilt the spinach in about a minute. Drizzle the lemon juice over the top and stir in the fresh parsley. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and serve warm.