Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes: Part 2
Happy Friday and a happy start to your Labor Day weekend!!
I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely not ready to give up on summer yet. I plan on enjoying lots of outdoor fun time with my family and friends over the long weekend. I hope you and your families get all the summer lovin’ fun you want and that you are able to enjoy time together.
Today is part two of our Glamour.com series of my “go to” summer healthy dinner recipes. If you missed part one last week, you are totally missing out and should pick it up here. Today we tackle the entrée and you will not be disappointed. In fact, you will be on the fast track to yummy town with my take on Mediterranean Chicken. This recipe was actually inspired by a terrific dinner party Scott and I attended a few months ago. It is a gorgeous feast for the eyes as well as your tummy. The fact that it is incredibly healthy as well makes it a complete triple threat.
Mediterranean Chicken with Pear Quinoa
Pear Quinoa
Ingredients:
- 1 cup black quinoa (You can substitute any type)
- ¼ cup dried pears diced
- 2 cups of water
Directions:
- Place dried pears in a small cup or bowl.
- Add two tablespoons of warm water to pears to soften. Set aside.
- Rinse quinoa using a strainer or colander.
- Add to medium lidded stock pan with 2 cups of water. Simmer for 20minutes. Turn off heat but do not take off lid for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff quinoa with a fork. Drain pears and then stir them into quinoa.
Mediterranean Chicken
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts chopped into small bite size pieces
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ¾ cup pitted and rough chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 ½ cups yellow and red pear tomatoes halved and seeded
- 1 Tablespoon drained capers
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
- Cook the chicken first and then place in the oven to keep warm while we finish the rest of the rest of the recipe.
- Pre heat oven to 200 degrees and set aside a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil or ovenproof plate with a lid.
- Salt and pepper your chopped chicken breasts.
- Use half of your olive oil and heat a skillet on medium-high heat.
- Cook your chicken breasts nice and brown approximately 3 minutes per side. You most likely will need to do multiple batches. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
- Once cooked move chicken to oven. Be sure to cover so your chicken doesn’t dry out.
- Add remaining oil and sauté the onions until translucent and tender. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add chicken broth and let liquid cook down about half on high heat for about 5 minutes.
- Turn down and add garlic and capers and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste and simmer for another 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Turn off heat and add the chicken breast pieces and toss together lightly.
- Serve over pear quinoa.
