Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Chicken, and Goat Cheese
This recipe is a recreation of a fabulous lunch I had at a favorite restaurant in the Milwaukee, WI area. My teenagers and husband loved it too! Serve warm or cold with balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Directions
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Place chicken breasts in a saucepan; add water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer just until chicken breasts are no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken breasts and set aside to cool, reserving water.
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Measure 3 cups from reserved water and discard any remaining. Pour the 3 cups water back into saucepan. Add quinoa and bouillon; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pecans and toss until fragrant and one shade darker, about 5 minutes. Remove pecans and set aside. Add butternut squash and 2 tablespoons water to the same skillet; cook and stir until just tender, adding more water if needed, 4 to 5 minutes.
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Chop chicken breasts into 1/2-inch pieces.
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Combine cooked quinoa, chicken, squash, and pecans in a bowl. Stir in cranberries, goat cheese, and parsley; season with salt and pepper.
Cook's Note:
All quantities can be adjusted to taste. Substitute other dried fruit for cranberries if not available. The key is to ensure the chicken and squash are chopped to approximately the same size. Omit chicken for a high-protein vegetarian main dish.
Three cups fresh water can be substituted for water reserved from chicken, if desired.
Tip
Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes clean-up easy.
