Oh what a weekend!! It was my hubby’s birthday, so we spent a few days around here trying to spoil him and eating and drinking way too much. Toooooo much.

Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

Plus, in case I have somehow let you forget it at any point, I am a Seattle girl. And to be a Seattle girl is to be a Seahawks fan. We had people over for the big game o Saturday night and had this, these, these, these and these. I couldn’t eat half the food but I reminded myself that it was not MY birthday weekend, so I had to let Pete indulge like crazy since there won’t be cheese in the house for like another year! I was busy indulging in the margaritas and basking in the glow of our champions and in our genuinely nutty fan community.

Also, my mother-in-law had the kids Saturday night and half of Sunday, so Pete and I even went out like we weren’t 85 years old. It was like a miracle.

Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

Then I had a nice long hungover Sunday eating takeout Thai food and watching like 5 hours of Golden Globes Red Carpet. I think I have given you just enough information for you to realize that it was a long indulgent weekend and that I might be in need of a bit of a reset come Monday.

Which is why I will be making this for dinner in lieu of tailgating food or take out. I need quinoa and my blood stream craves liquefied kale, you know? Fresh veggies and crunchy almonds round out a beautiful, simple and delicious quinoa bowl that will keep your tummy satisfied your taste buds happy and jeans buttoning (I could use some severe help with that right now). Enjoy!

Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

 

Recipe: Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 cups White Quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Kale Pesto
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
  • kosher salt
  • Kale Pesto:
  • 4 cups raw curly kale, stems removed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, combine the water and the white wine, and then add the rinsed and drained quinoa and the salt. Whisk everything together and heat over medium heat until lightly simmering.
  2. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the pot. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat off and remove the pot from the stove and let it sit another 10-15 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool.
  3. Combine all of the Kale Pesto ingredients, (except for the olive oil and salt) in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse them until well pureed. Stream the olive oil in with the processor running and run until very smooth. Season the pesto to taste with kosher salt.
  4. Divide the quinoa between 2 large bowls and then divide the chicken, tomatoes, green onions between the bowls. Add a few tablespoons of kale pesto to each bowl and sprinkle with the almonds and parsley. Season to taste with kosher salt.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 2

Print Recipe  

Oh what a weekend!! It was my hubby’s birthday, so we spent a few days around here trying to spoil him and eating and drinking way too much. Toooooo much.

Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

Plus, in case I have somehow let you forget it at any point, I am a Seattle girl. And to be a Seattle girl is to be a Seahawks fan. We had people over for the big game o Saturday night and had this, these, these, these and these. I couldn’t eat half the food but I reminded myself that it was not MY birthday weekend, so I had to let Pete indulge like crazy since there won’t be cheese in the house for like another year! I was busy indulging in the margaritas and basking in the glow of our champions and in our genuinely nutty fan community.

Also, my mother-in-law had the kids Saturday night and half of Sunday, so Pete and I even went out like we weren’t 85 years old. It was like a miracle.

Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

Then I had a nice long hungover Sunday eating takeout Thai food and watching like 5 hours of Golden Globes Red Carpet. I think I have given you just enough information for you to realize that it was a long indulgent weekend and that I might be in need of a bit of a reset come Monday.

Which is why I will be making this for dinner in lieu of tailgating food or take out. I need quinoa and my blood stream craves liquefied kale, you know? Fresh veggies and crunchy almonds round out a beautiful, simple and delicious quinoa bowl that will keep your tummy satisfied your taste buds happy and jeans buttoning (I could use some severe help with that right now). Enjoy!

Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

 

Recipe: Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 cups White Quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Kale Pesto
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
  • kosher salt
  • Kale Pesto:
  • 4 cups raw curly kale, stems removed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, combine the water and the white wine, and then add the rinsed and drained quinoa and the salt. Whisk everything together and heat over medium heat until lightly simmering.
  2. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the pot. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat off and remove the pot from the stove and let it sit another 10-15 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool.
  3. Combine all of the Kale Pesto ingredients, (except for the olive oil and salt) in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse them until well pureed. Stream the olive oil in with the processor running and run until very smooth. Season the pesto to taste with kosher salt.
  4. Divide the quinoa between 2 large bowls and then divide the chicken, tomatoes, green onions between the bowls. Add a few tablespoons of kale pesto to each bowl and sprinkle with the almonds and parsley. Season to taste with kosher salt.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 2