chicken quinoa bowl with olives and cucumber

Lunch

Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

Olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers and spices come together magically in this healthy chicken quinoa bowl recipe. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a glass of cold Italian white wine.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, rinsed
¼ cup slivered almonds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
2 cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup diced cucumber
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Position a rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and place on the prepared baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 165 degrees F, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and slice or shred.
Meanwhile, place peppers, almonds, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, paprika, cumin and crushed red pepper (if using) in a mini food processor. Puree until fairly smooth.
Combine quinoa, olives, red onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl.
To serve, divide the quinoa mixture among 4 bowls and top with equal amounts of cucumber, the chicken and the red pepper sauce. Sprinkle with feta and parsley.