One of the sauces I pair with quinoa is a riff on Rick Bayless' Nueva Vallarta. In his recipe, oysters and their juices are used as the main liquid. Since my husband doesn't particularly like fishy odors in food, I did my own variation using chicken broth.
I use a tenderized and simply seasoned chicken breast as the main protein for this dish.
For 2 people
Quinoa:
1 c quinoa, soaked in water for 15 minutes, then washed thoroughly and drained
1 1/2 c chicken broth
4 oz button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 tsps butter
2 tsps olive oil
juice from 1/4 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Put the quinoa and chicken broth in a small sauce pan, put over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a small sauté pan. Add sliced mushrooms and brown. Season with a pinch of salt to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
Once the quinoa is cooked, fluff with a fork and add the sautéed mushrooms, olive oil, lemon and seasonings.
Nueva Vallarta Sauce:
1 TBSP olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 c chicken broth
3 TBSP (or more, to taste) sour cream
1/4 tsp cumin
pinch of hot paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, tomatoes and bell pepper. Sauté until softened. Season with cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Add chicken broth. Let it reduce for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Chicken Breast
2 pounded chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and garlic powder. Grill or sauté.
I like assembling the dish on a plate using my makeshift ring mold (a short, wide can with both the top and bottom taken off). I put the quinoa at the bottom, unmold, then gently place the chicken breast on top, then drizzle the sauce on top of the chicken and scattering some of the veggies around. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Enjoy!
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