Spicy Cajun chicken quinoa

Protein-packed quinoa makes this midweek meal a super-healthy option

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 skinless chicken breasts , cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 oz quinoa
• 1 pint hot chicken stock
• 4 oz dried apricots , sliced
• ½ x 250g pouch ready-to-use Puy lentils
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red onions , cut into thin wedges
• 1 bunch spring onions , chopped
• small bunch coriander , chopped

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the chicken with the Cajun spice and arrange in a single layer in a roasting tin. Bake for 20 mins until the chicken is cooked. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in the chicken stock for 15 mins until tender, adding the apricots and lentils for the final 5 mins. Drain and place into a large bowl with the chicken, toss together.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan and soften the onions for 10-15 mins. Toss the onions into the quinoa with the coriander and some seasoning, then mix well.

Quinoa is new to me! But I have used it several times now and is always a hit with friends & family, also the Kids seem to like it - thought I would up-lift some info from The Quinoa Corporation, which tells you a little more about it. 

We at Quinoa Corporation are very pleased and excited to introduce an amazing  "new" food. It is called quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), and is a seed that comes from the Andes Mountains of South America. Quinoa's origins are truly ancient. It was one of  the three staple foods along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa was known then, and still is known,with respect, as the mother grain. We call it the "Supergrain of theFuture." 

Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2  percent, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat. Some varieties of quinoa are more than 20 percent protein. 

Quinoa's protein is of an unusually high quality. It is a complete protein, with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal ... similar to milk! 

Quinoa's protein is high in lysine, methionine and cystine. This makes it an excellent food to combine with and boost the protein value of other grains (which are low in lysine), or soy (which is low in methionine and cystine).

Rich & Balanced Source of  Nutrients
Besides its unique protein, quinoa also provides starch, sugars, oil (high in essential linoleic acid), fiber, minerals, and vitamins. 

Easy on the Stomach
Quinoa is light, tasty and easy to digest. It is not sticky or heavy like most other grains and it has a delicious flavor all its own.

Quick and Simple to Prepare
A whole-grain dish of quinoa takes just 15 minutes.

Versatile
Quinoa can be substituted for almost any grain in almost any recipe. It looks and tastes great on its own, or in any dish from soup to salad. 

Perfect for Summertime
Many people eat grains only during the colder months, but quinoa's lightness combined with its versatility in cold dishes like salads and desserts makes it an ideal source of good summertime nutrition.

Kids love it!
Quinoa is very easily digestible and an excellent source of nutrition for infants and children.

http://www.quinoa.net/  = for more information on Quinoa