What is that? A loofa?

I've had plenty of posts started for awhile now, but I had to post this recipe asap, it was that good!  I'm loving quinoa dishes, since Sakief eats rice with almost everything.  It's such a great substitute, though the texture is definitely different.

This one's for you Jared!

Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Cream Sauce

adapted from http://www.sarcasticcooking.com/2012/03/15/blackened-chicken-and-cilantro-lime-quinoa/

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (if they're thick, pound them out with a meat tenderizer, or if you're like me, a rolling pin)

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup quinoa

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cumin

lime juice

chopped cilantro

olive oil

avocado

2 Tbsp plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

Cook quinoa with the chicken broth in a rice cooker while you prepare the chicken.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Coat the chicken breasts. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium sauce pan at medium/high heat. Cook chicken for 7 minutes each side, covered, on medium heat. When chicken is fully cooked, remove from heat and let sit.

For cream sauce, combine the flesh of the avocado with the Greek yogurt in a food processor (or magic bullet, or blender, etc, etc). 

When quinoa is done cooking add chopped cilantro and lime juice to taste.

Slice chicken and serve over quinoa. Spoon cream sauce over top.

The original recipe called for the cream sauce to only be used if you needed to cut the heat from the blackening spices, but Sakief and I both agreed that it really makes the dish.