Quinoa is a great addition to your diet. Quinoa is a seed, treated as a grain, high in protein, gluten free and delicious. The crunchy, juicy chicken thighs and loads of veggies make this recipe a feast. Ghee is an Indian style clarified butter, does not burn as fast as butter and will give you the desired result.
Ingredients
- For the chicken thighs:
- 8 bone-less (skin-on) chicken thighs
- 1 tsp. olive oil sea salt pepper
- ½ tbsp. coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp. ghee
- For the quinoa:
- 1 cup golden quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 5 oz peas (canned, fresh or frozen)
- 1 medium onion (cut in half moon rings)
- 1 ½ medium carrot (diced)
- 2 medium green bell pepper
Directions
- 11 cup of dry quinoa yields 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Quinoa cooks like rice in 20 minutes.
- 2If you use a rice cooker, wash the quinoa under running water, place in the rice cooker, add the vegetable stock little salt and the garlic cloves. Quinoa has a natural bitterness and the salt and garlic helps to mellow that down. When using a stock pot, follow the same procedure but ensure to cook on low heat.
- 3Rub the salt and ghee on the skin of the chicken thighs.
- 4Fry the chicken thighs skin down on medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes. The skin will release most of its fat and turn golden and crunchy.
- 5Turn the thighs and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes so they are cooked through.
- 6Drain the thighs on a wire rack
- 7Blanch the carrot dices for 2 to 3 minutes they should soften but still have crunch, add the peas to the pot with carrot dices to warm them trough (about 1 minute). Drain.
- 8Cut the bell pepper in cubes.
- 9Add the warm veggies with the bell pepper and sliced onions to the quinoa and toss to combine.
- 10Add the olive oil and season if desired, mix well.
- 11Divide the quinoa salad over 4 individual plates and top each with 2 crackling chicken thighs.
