Recipes
Return to previous pageChicken with Quinoa, Peaches & Basil
(5 ratings)
Sometimes classified as a grain, quinoa is a quick-cooking tiny seed with a crunchy texture and a mild flavor. Pronounced KEEN-wah, it’s a wonderful source of protein, calcium and iron. Before cooking, rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove its bitter-tasting natural coating, which is called “saponin.”
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2-3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed for 2 minutes
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, divided
- 2 small peaches
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 4 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 5 fresh basil leaves, torn
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of the broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peaches and cook for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, lift out the peaches, one at a time, and set aside to cool.
- In a large heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, then dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Peel, halve and pit the peaches, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.
- Add the remaining broth to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Deglaze the skillet by scraping to loosen any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Add the peaches, shallots, and orange zest and cook, stirring frequently, until the pan sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the basil.
- To serve, divide the quinoa among 4 plates and place a piece of chicken alongside. Spoon the sauce over and serve at once.
Client Comments
- Kelly
- 7/26/2010
- love the contrast of the sweet peaches and the savory chicken and quinoa! This was nice and filling.
- Karin
- 6/13/2008
- Not a fan, very bland tasting. Be sure to add extra seasoning to this dish.
