Pesto Chicken and Quinoa Bowl

A 30-minute bowl built around quick-cooking chicken breast, fluffy quinoa, and a basil pesto made while the grain cooks. Cherry tomatoes and cucumber add freshness, and lemon keeps the flavors sharp.

By Julienne

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 200 g quinoa rinsed
• 400 ml water for cooking quinoa
• 4 g fine salt divided
• 40 g fresh basil leaves loosely packed
• 2 each garlic cloves peeled
• 30 g walnuts toasted
• 30 g finely grated Parmesan
• 0.5 each lemon zested and juiced
• 20 ml olive oil divided
• 2 g fine salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 600 g chicken breast split horizontally or pounded to 1.5 cm thickness
• 2 g fine salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 10 ml olive oil divided
• 5 ml olive oil divided
• 0.5 each lemon zested and juiced
• 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
• 200 g cucumber diced

Instructions

1. Add the rinsed quinoa, water, and 4 g of the salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa looks fluffy with little curled tails, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it stand covered for 3 minutes. Quinoa is tender and fluffy, with no visible water left in the pan.
2. While the quinoa cooks, make the pesto in a blender or food processor with the basil, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan, half of the lemon juice, 20 ml of the olive oil, 2 g of the salt, and 1 g of the black pepper. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down once. Add 15 ml of water only if needed to loosen the sauce. Pesto is spoonable and evenly green, not dry or sandy.
3. Season the chicken breast with the remaining 2 g salt and 1 g black pepper. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add 10 ml of the olive oil. Cook the chicken until browned and the center reaches 74°C, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for 1.5 cm-thick cutlets. Transfer to a board and rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Chicken is browned outside, opaque through the center, and registers 74°C.
4. In a mixing bowl, toss the warm quinoa with the remaining 5 ml olive oil and the remaining lemon juice. Fold in the cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Taste; no additional salt is allocated, so season only with the measured ingredients already in the bowl. The bowl is evenly seasoned and the quinoa is still warm.
5. Slice the chicken and divide the quinoa mixture among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with sliced chicken and spoon the pesto over the top. Serve immediately. Each bowl has chicken, quinoa, vegetables, and a visible layer of pesto.