Red Pepper Glazed Chicken w/ Almond Quinoa

While thumbing through Cooking Light magazine last week at the gym, I came across a couple recipes that I thought sounded worth a try so I made note of them and I am trying out my own versions this week. This was the first of the recipes I thought sounded good...and I was right!

I get bored with chicken very easily and while pregnant with both boys, the smell, taste and even thought of cooking/eating chicken made me sick. So I am always trying to find ways to reinvent chicken and keep it exciting, since it shows up on our menu a lot.

This chicken recipe adds a very simple glaze that is full of flavor but very figure friendly. Since it wasn't a marinade, I didn't have to remember to marinade the meat overnight or in the morning, which can be a pretty tough task for me when I'm getting everything else together for the boys. Plus, it's much lower in sodium than most of your basic marinades.

I skipped the homemade version of the quinoa and just bought an easy, already flavored box at the store and added my own extras to it to give it a little more flare.

I was really surprised at how good this chicken came out and I am even excited to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Justin & I already started thinking of other versions of the glaze we can make for future dishes. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Quinoa:
- 1 4.8oz box of Easy Quinoa (I got the Nature's Earthly Choice brand, roasted garlic & olive oil flavor)
- 1.5c low-sodium chicken stock
- 3tbsp sliced, raw almonds, unsalted
- 1 stalk of green scallions, chopped

For the Chicken:

- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.(about 1.5lbs)

- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- Seas salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

- 2c low-sodium chicken stock

- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

- 1/3c red pepper jelly

HOW-TO:

Prepare the quinoa according to the package. I subbed the water for low-sodium chicken broth to add more flavor. Once the quinoa is done cooking, stir in the almonds and a couple handfuls of the fresh, chopped scallions. Serve with a few sprinkles of extra almonds on top.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil over a medium-large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt & pepper to taste. Add the chicken to the heated skillet and cook until it is cooked through, about 7-10 minutes per side (depending on how thick the breasts are).

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the chicken broth, vinegar, and jelly to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low heat and simmer for about 5 more minutes, until the glaze begins to thicken.

Spoon the glaze over the chicken to serve.

TIPS:

- Add a side of veggies to this meal or even mix some in to the quinoa to get your daily veggie servings.

- Try a different kind of jelly to mix in, such as a spicy pepper flavor or maybe even an apple jelly for a sweeter option.
- Make sure to get some of the glaze in the quinoa when eating, it adds an extra delicious factor!

Nutritional Info Per Serving (recipe yields 4 servings):

Calories: 436

Fat: 11g

Sodium: 441mg

Protein: 50g

Carbs: 36g