Happy Monday lovely people! Let’s start the week off with a recent dinner that wasn’t created in the slow cooked. Yes, rare I know. Recently, at least. I can’t even remember where the inspiration for this dish came from. It probably had something to do with my ongoing love affair with quinoa, and a bunch of vegetables in the crisper that needed to be used. Quinoa, garlic , shallots and white wine – simmered with ladles of stock until cooked.
Finished with a mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and chicken…
And served with a big sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
The end result being a lovely new take on an old classic, full of protein and flavour, but without the heaviness of a regular risotto.
Chicken and mushroom quinoa risotto (serves 2 – 3)
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 600ml stock
- 100g cherry tomatoes
- 400g cooked chicken, diced
- 100g mushrooms, sliced
- Handful spinach
- Grated parmesan to serve
- Place stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, sauté shallots and garlic in a little olive oil in a large frypan, until starting to soften. Add the quinoa, stirring to coat.
- Add the wine, and allow to evaporate.
- Add the warm stock – a ladleful at a time, simmering over a medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring as needed, for 15 minutes or so, or until all the stock has been added and the quinoa is cooked.
- Add the remaining ingredients, and allow to heat through.
- Divide among serving bowls and top with grated parmesan.
What about you? Do you have a favourite risotto combination?