QUINOA WITH CHICKEN AND LENTILS

Quinoa with Chicken and Lentils image

This low-calorie Middle Eastern-inspired dinner uses darkly browned onions and a few spices to develop big flavor without relying on extra fat. A small amount of leftover rotisserie chicken makes this balanced meal budget-friendly, too.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 15-ounce can lentils, strained and rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, white meat with skin removed
2 cups whole frozen green beans
2 tablespoons toasted, sliced almonds
1/4 cup 2-percent Greek yogurt

Steps:

Put the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add the quinoa and cook until it is translucent and tender and the threadlike germ wraps around each kernel, 8 to 12 minutes. Strain the quinoa well, return it to the saucepan and stir in the lentils; cover and keep warm.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, lemon zest, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and stir until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water and scrape up any brown bits. Add the chicken, bring to a simmer and cook until almost all of the liquid evaporates and the chicken is moistened, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the green beans in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and microwave until hot, about 3 minutes
Add the chicken-onion mixture, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the quinoa-lentil mixture and stir to combine. Divide among four bowls. Top each with greens beans, almonds and a dollop of yogurt.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 370 calorie, Fat 14 grams, SaturatedFat 2.5 grams, Cholesterol 25 milligrams, Sodium 590 milligrams, Carbohydrate 41 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 20 grams, Sugar 6 grams