One of my favorite dishes is fajitas, but I didn’t have any tortillas the other night when I went to make it. I didn’t want rice, so I tried out quinoa, and this turned out phenomenal. You will not be disappointed.
I love quinoa because it makes a great rice substitute without all the simple carbs, it has a little more flavor, and it cooks a lot faster (the way I do it). I almost always toast my quinoa on medium low to get a nice buttery, nutty flavor. This makes such a huge difference when adding to the flavor of the dish. Don’t skimp on this step. You’ll thank me later.
Just throw a cup of quinoa in a skillet of 2 tbsp butter, and stir it together until the butter melts.
Keep heat on medium low so the butter does not burn.
Toast it for about 5 minutes, stirring often. You’ll know it’s done when you start to get a soft bubbling between kernels, and they start to turn a golden brown. (If you’re making my butter broth quinoa, this is when you would throw in your garlic or onion and let toast for a minute until aromas mix.)
Then you simply pour in some chicken broth until the grain is completely covered. Add 1/4 cup of water and let simmer for 6 – 8 minutes or until liquid is mostly evaporated. Some people like their quinoa to be nice and mushy where the kernel has completely burst and cooked inside. I don’t. I like there to be a little give in the bite, so I use a little less liquid and I don’t simmer it for very long. This recipe works better with more resilience in the quinoa.
While you’re cooking the quinoa, start sautéing your peppers and onions in some olive oil, until slightly softened.
The chicken is the easiest part. Just sprinkle it with fajita seasoning, cook it in olive oil or butter, and douce it with the juice of one lime. Once the chicken is cooked, combine ALL the ingredients together and let simmer for a few minutes until flavors blend.
- 1 C quinoa
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ C chicken broth
- ¼ C water
- 4 mini bell peppers, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 lime squeezed
- Toast the quinoa in butter on medium low heat for 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Add broth until barely covering the quinoa, then add water, turn heat to low and simmer.
- While this is simmering, sautee peppers and onions in butter or olive oil for 5 - 6 minutes, until slightly soft. Add this mixture to the quinoa, stir, and simmer on low while chicken cooks.
- Slice chicken into thin strips, season them generously with fajita seasoning mix, and sautee them in olive oil until juices run clear (about 8 minutes.)
- Combine all ingredients together into one large skillet, and serve.
