Cooking with the JETS

MUSHROOM QUINOA PILAF

I love this recipe, I make this almost every week.  It's so easy, made with simple few ingredients, fast, and soon to be your favorite! 


Ingredients:


2 cups cooked quinoa
1 chicken breast, cut in to small pieces
1 small pkg of mushrooms, roughly sliced
1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
garlic powder, to taste
1 tbsp thyme
salt & pepper, to taste
coconut oil or butter


Start with cooking the chicken pieces in a pan with oil or butter with salt and pepper just so it's cooked with slight color.  When it's cooked take it out of the pan and keep aside in a separate bowl. 



In the same pan add oil or butter if needed and cook the mushrooms.   I like to cook the mushrooms on the medium high heat and making sure the pan is large enough so they cook nice without too much moisture.  At the end, lower the heat add fresh garlic and cook together mixing so garlic doesn't burn. Add cooked chicken, cooked quinoa and mix everything along with salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme.  I use a lot of thyme, it gives a very earthy nice flavor to the dish.  

Taste the dish, if you are happy with the seasoning, lower the heat, add the heavy cream along with Parmesan cheese and mix.  I try to add as little heavy cream as possible.  It really depends on how fluffy the cooked quinoa is.  You wouldn't want the dish to be drenched in cream.  The point of the cream is to help bind the cheese and everything together.  So start with a little over 1/4 cup along with the cheese and you can always add a little more if you think it needs it.  

It's a simple dish and can be adjusted to your preferences.  Leave the chicken out, and make it vegetarian or use it as side dish. Enjoy!