Chicken Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

·       1 cup cherry tomatoes – quartered

·       1 cup chopped zucchini – raw or cooked (your preference)

·       2/3 cup red bell pepper – chopped

·       1 cup beans – your preference of medley, canned and rinsed or dried and soaked

·       1 tbs. oil of choice

·       1.5 tbs. red wine vinegar

·       1 tsp oregano – dried or fresh and minced

·       ¼ tsp pepper

·       ¼ cup feta cheese - crumbled

·       ½ chicken breast – ¼ pound or 140 grams

·       2/3 cup raw quinoa (2 cups cooked)

·       1 1/3 cup water

·       2 tbs. parsley

·       2 tbs. green onion

Instructions

1.     Pour quinoa into a pot with water. Tap any floating quinoa with a spoon so it is fully emerged. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes

2.     Slice chicken across the fibers (it will be more tender this way), then cut them into ½ inch – 1-inch cubes

3.     Heat a pan to medium and add enough oil to coat the pan

4.     Add chicken to the pan, leaving enough space between the chicken pieces to fully cook through

5.     Add oregano to the chicken and stir

6.     Once browning begins, add red wine vinegar and the rest of the oil. Stir.

7.     Cut the green onions lengthwise once, then chop finely to release the flavor

8.     Check the chicken with a meat thermometer. Once it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit or more, it is safe to eat

9.     Bunch the parsley together and cute as finely as you like

10.  Grab a large container or bowl and add all the veggies, beans, chicken with juice, and 2 cups of cooked quinoa. Mix it all together.

11.  Top it off with green onions, parsley, broken up feta cheese (easiest to do with your hands), and pepper

Enjoy! Yields 4 meals