(Please pardon the iPhone photo. Dead camera battery.)
I went out yesterday morning to survey the garden…and to make sure it survived our weekend away. I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of red grape-roma tomatoes, and a meal’s worth of green beans! I picked some basil, parsley and oregano and then got to work.
So we’re calling this “Mediterranean” because it has olives. And olives are plentiful in the Mediterranean. And I’d really like to take a trip to the Mediterranean. (This weekend getaway to California really gave me the travel itch!)
And the real question from the video…is it “halving” or “halfing”?!?
Loved the variety of textures and how the flavors meshed…
Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa
Yield – 4 servings
Preparation Time – 10 minutes
Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup quinoa ($1.25)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($.10)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.10)
- About 1 pint grape, cherry or grape-roma tomatoes (from the garden)
- Small handful of fresh basil, parsley, and oregano, chopped (from the garden)
- About 3/4 cup black olives, halved ($.60)
- 2 chicken breasts, grilled and diced ($1.66)
- Salt and pepper
- Handful of green beans (from the garden)
- 1 tsp olive oil ($.03)
- Salt and pepper
Note: Substitute 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, well drained, for the fresh tomatoes.
Directions
- Cook the quinoa as directed on the box. 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa.
- In a large skillet, add the olive oil and saute the crushed garlic for about a minute, then add the halved tomatoes and saute for another 2-3 minutes, or until tomato skins “wrinkle.” Then add the black olives and diced chicken and saute together for another minute.
- Add the cooked quinoa into the Mediterranean Chicken mixture and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Saute the green beans in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa with Sauteed Green Beans.
Cost $3.74
Jocelyn Stott says
That looks YUMMY!!!!
Ellen says
I love planning dinner as I walk through the garden picking! My green beans are done, but I have lots of cucumbers, tomatoes, basil and squash. Might do something similar as yours looks so good–even with the iPhone photo. 😉
Melissa @ Stockpiling Moms says
I have so many cherry or grape-roma tomatoes that I don’t know what to do with. Thanks for the recipe!
Melissa
Alea says
That looks fantastic! Both of my teenagers will be home for lunch tomorrow, so I think I will surprise them with this rather than make them forage through the fridge. 😉
Dorothy says
Thank you for doing another quinoa recipe! This one looks yummy and really seems easy. I think I’ll omit the olives and call it “psuedo Mediterrean Chicken quinoa” 🙂
Your beans are producing like mine–enough here and there for a meal but not enough to freeze.
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
@Dorothy,
LOL! Black olives are an “acquired taste.” Neither of the boys liked the black olives, so I picked them out for their “psuedo Med. Chicken Quinoa”! 😉
Jill says
What exactly is Quinoa?
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
@Jill,
My kids call it “little rice.” It’s a gluten free grain that cooks in about 10-15 minutes. Super nutrient rich…and tasty too! You can learn more at wiki or by googling.
Susan says
How are you getting 2 chicken breasts for $1.66? That’s $4 on sale in my area and I don’t live in an expensive area. I wind up cooking meatless meals because of the cost. Is there a secret I don’t know about?
Susan says
How many does this version serve? Or better yet, how many cups?
Thanks!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
It will serve 4 adults.
Erin
Laurie says
this looks delicious and so very easy