Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Dressing

Name: Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings.
Ingredients: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 2/3 cup water; 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed; 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each); 3 teaspoons olive or coconut oil, divided; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided; 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided; 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed; 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt; 1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard; 1/2 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced; 6 cherry tomatoes, halved

I love this recipe because its simplicity allows me to spend time with my family while not sacrificing taste or nutrition. Plus the fresh spring flavors really shine through! —Allyson Meyler, Greensboro, North Carolina

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
3 teaspoons olive or coconut oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Place vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; cool completely.
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed, 10-12 minutes. Keep warm.
Preheat broiler. Toss chicken with 2 teaspoons oil, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place on 1 half of a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 in. from heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toss asparagus with the remaining oil, salt and pepper.
Remove pan from oven; turn chicken over. Add asparagus. Broil until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165° and asparagus is tender, 3-5 minutes. Let chicken stand 5 minutes before slicing.
For dressing, stir yogurt and mustard into balsamic reduction. To serve, spoon quinoa into bowls; top with chicken, asparagus, avocado and tomatoes. Serve with dressing.

Test Kitchen tips

No need to fuss with the asparagus after you add it to the pan with the chicken; it doesn’t need to be turned.

The extra step of simmering the balsamic vinegar makes this dressing extra flavorful.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 491 calories, 21g fat (5g saturated fat), 101mg cholesterol, 715mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 6g fiber), 42g protein.

Reviews

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Average Rating:

chickluvs2cook

Dec 30, 2018

I love bowl meals! I had leftover chicken from a previous meal and this worked perfectly. The balsamic reduction adds a great finishing touch.
dcbeyer

Mar 23, 2018

Amazing flavor! Didn't change a thing. LOVED every bite! In the summer, the chicken and asparagus could easily be done on the grill. Thank you for sharing your recipe!