Happy New Year! I’m finally back in the kitchen (WITHDRAWL) and started the year with this healthy one-pot dish. Chefs like to call this kind of method the “One pot turnaround.” You make everything in one dish so you can shorten clean-up time in the kitchen.
This is my first quinoa recipe friends. I know–blasphemy! I love healthy food but I love flavor more, so I’ve been messing around with quinoa and finally concocted this recipe. It’s flavorful, healthy, filling, and can be your go-to for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you want it vegetarian, lose the chicken and add the spice mix to the mushrooms. If you want it for breakfast, crack an egg over it. Once you are done prepping, the chicken and veggies cook themselves on the stovetop in a half-hour while you’re hard at work on your new years resolutions. Wink Wink.
Either way, start your year with this dish and keep it in your repertoire on heavy rotation. And pass it on to all the quinoa lovers out there–it will not disappoint!
Blackened Chicken With Quinoa, Feta, Artichokes, Spinach, And Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tbls. blackened seasoning
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 3 Tbls. olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 8 oz. Portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 1 cup quinoa (I used tri-color from Trader Joes)
- 2 cups low-fat chicken broth
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or more to taste)
- 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix blackened seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper, and 2 Tbls. olive oil to make a paste. Slather paste over chicken to coat. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes.
- Heat remaining Tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Next, add the onion and mushrooms, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the quinoa and broth and bring to a boil, nestle the chicken into the quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to medium- medium-low (broth should be at a high simmer). Cook for 25-30 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and slice in strips. Stir the spinach into the quinoa. Sprinkle in feta cheese. Place the chicken on top and season to taste.
Welcome back Tonja. Happy New Year. Loved getting your Christmas card. Beautiful children.
Your recipe sounds delicious. ❤ Sending love to you and yours.
Thanks Nanci! You are so kind.
You will love the recipe!
Happy New Year!
Omgosh Tonja……another fabulous dinner. Can’t wait to make it cuz it includes everything I love!!! And…….all in one pan too? That hooked me too! Glad you’re back. I’m sure your new kitchen is beautiful and even more fun to cook in now. As always, you’re the best!
★★★★★
Thanks, Tonja. I whipped this up last night…incredibly delicious. Plus the chicken was very tender. A real winner!
Thanks Sarah! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Happy Cooking!
Loved the blackened chicken! Made this for dinner tonight & we all loved it!
★★★★★
You have a big family to feed. Yeah! So happy it worked out!
This is AMAZING! Everyone LOVED it and both girls were asking when I could make it again because they could not get enough. PS they both HATE mushrooms and never even realized they are in there! This is a WINNER!
So glad it was a hit at your house! Oohh and glad you snuck the mushrooms in Happy you have a new dinner option!
Made this tonight & it was awesome!!
Thank you for providing such a great recipe – this will be in permanent rotation at our house!
★★★★★
Yeah Melissa! So glad your family liked it!
Cheers!