Have you ever had a toddler break a bone? If you have, than you know how that can turn your life upside down. I have a toddler in a cast right now with a fractured elbow, so cooking and kitchen clean up are not high on the priority list, but eating well is. This is the time in life when one-pot meals are life savers; and chicken quinoa pilaf is definitely one of my favorites.
Favorite Chicken Quinoa Pilaf
Pilafs are typically very flavorful rice dishes but I am a huge fan of using whole grains such as quinoa or millet to make them. Luckily, toddlers seem to love whole grains (carbs!) which help make this dish totally kid-approved. Sadly, my toddler seems to be in a stage where everything green, including flakes of parsley, on his plate is unacceptable. That’s why the only seasoning I use here is salt and black pepper.
One-Pot Meals
I never really appreciated the convenience of creating a meal using just a single pot. Maybe I just never thought of it. Or maybe I just really never truly needed it before I become a mom. These days, I’ll try and make every meal a one-pot meal, and there is one kitchen tool that makes it a whole lot easier: my beloved and overly-used 6-quart Dutch oven. If you have one you know what I mean. If you don’t, take my advice and get dark-colored one but think twice about getting the color I got.
One-Pot Chicken Quinoa Pilaf
Fluffy one-pot chicken quinoa pilaf contains four ingredients (chicken, quinoa, onion, and tomato), and takes only 40 minutes to prepare making it a perfect weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, lard, or duck fat
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 pound chicken breast or thighs diced
- 2 teaspoons sea salt coarse
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 small tomato chopped
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden and translucent, about 5 minutes.
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Toss in diced chicken breast and season with salt and black pepper. Let it sear on medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes. Then lower the heat.
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Push the onion and meat to the side of a pot, creating a well in the middle. Stir in quinoa and toast it for a few minutes. Stir frequently.
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Toss in the diced garlic and stir a few times until garlic starts releasing its flavor, about 30 seconds, then pour in the chicken stock.
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Add tomatoes and bring to boil. Once the pilaf boils, lower the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat.
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Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Serve warm garnished with fresh parsley.
