Quinoa Risotto With Mushrooms, Chicken And Leeks

Quinoa risotto is a very nutritious dish because it contains ingredients with lots of protein (both vegetables and meat), good cholesterol (HDL), as well as vitamins and minerals.

The basic ingredient is especially good for you: quinoa is a food that contains all the essential amino acids that the body needs. Similarly, it is easy to digest, which makes it good for eliminating toxins.

In addition, it can be good to know that quinoa is a gluten-free growth, which makes this recipe good for people with gluten intolerance. If you want, you can replace the chicken with seitan to make it vegetarian or vegan. It all depends on your preferences and needs (and your guests’).

Quinoa risotto with mushrooms, chicken and leeks

Ingredients (for 2 servings)

• 1 medium leek
• 2 chicken breasts (500 g)
• 1 tablespoon butter (20 g)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
• ¼ cup chicken broth (50 ml)
• ¼ cup white wine (50 ml)
• 150 g mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese (20 g)

This is what you do

1. First,  let the quinoa soak in water for at least two hours. Use two cups of water for each cup of quinoa. By letting the quinoa soak, you can get rid of all the foam that it releases in its raw form. After 2 hours, rinse the quinoa and keep it in a saucepan. Boil it in salted water for approx. 15 minutes.
2. Marinate the chicken breasts (as you like) and place them on the grill. When ready, cut them into thick, medium-sized strips.
3. Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
4. Clean and cut mushrooms and leeks into small pieces. Afterwards, keep them in the frying pan and let them cook for a few minutes. Stir evenly to prevent it from burning.
5. In a bowl, mix the chicken with the white wine. Set it aside.
6. In another pan, cook the quinoa, as mentioned earlier. When done, remove the water and pour it into the frying pan with the leeks and mushrooms. While stirring , add the chicken broth little by little.
7. After 10 or 15 minutes, turn off the heat.
8. Mix the risotto with the chicken strips and serve. Sprinkle a little grated parmesan cheese on top with a pinch of black pepper.
9. You can serve this quinoa risotto as a main course or next to something else.

Quinoa risotto with squash and peas

Ingredients (for 2 servings)

• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ onion
• 2 cups quinoa (200 g)
• 150 g peas
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup squash (150 g)
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth (750 ml)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese (150 g)
• 1 teaspoon  Herbes de Provence (5 g)
• ½ cup white wine (125 ml)

This is what you do

1. Prepare the quinoa as explained in the previous recipe.
2. Cut the squash into small pieces. Put on some lemon juice and put them in the microwave (in a bowl that can withstand it) for a few minutes at maximum power.
3. Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Afterwards, cut the onion into thin slices and set aside.
4. Pour some olive oil into a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the  onion for a few minutes. Before removing the pan from the heat, add the crushed garlic and stir together.
5. Boil the quinoa in the frying pan together with half of the broth, as well as white wine and herbs. Stir constantly to ensure that the ingredients mix well.
6. When it has all boiled in, pour in the remaining broth and continue to stir for 2 or 3 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Add grated cheese and peas before stirring one last time and serving the dish.

As you just read,  quinoa risotto is quite easy to prepare  and you can add all kinds of ingredients. The structure and taste are nice and even, which means that it is not difficult to appreciate the dish.

Because of this, it is a good option to serve to others. The secret is to take care of the quinoa when you cook it (it should not be boiled for more than 15 minutes) and make sure you have the right amounts of liquid. If you follow these details, you do not have to worry about making any mistakes!