Chicken Fried Quinoa

“I want to eat THAT.”   – Friend and Cooking Club member, MS, happening upon this picture in my camera.

I did eat that. It was wonderful. “That” is a take on chicken fried rice – healthed up with quinoa instead of rice, egg whites instead of whole eggs, all the veggies you want, and total control over the amount of oil and soy sauce. I do not feel guilty eating it, and although I always intend for the quantities below to be enough for two servings… it is usually just one. Well, two bowls, but one sitting.

Ingredients:

– 2 eggs
– extra virgin olive oil
– 1 small sweet onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/2 t ground ginger OR 1 t fresh minced ginger
– 1 crown broccoli, chopped small
– 3/4 c cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
– 1 c cooked quinoa
– 2 T low-sodium soy sauce

How do I make it?

• First, the eggs. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; when hot, spray with cooking spray. Cook one egg white at a time: crack an egg into a small bowl (discard the yolk and shell). Pour it into the skillet gently, and let it cook until set (do not scramble) (but if you DO scramble it, it will taste fine, I promise). This should be a minute or two – keep an eye on it. Flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove the first egg white to a cutting board, and cook the second egg white the same way. When cooked, stack the two egg whites on the cutting board, cut into thin strips, and set aside.
• Turn up the temperature to medium-high and heat 1 T olive oil. Add the onions, and cook until browned (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute.
• Add another T of olive oil and add the chopped broccoli. As soon as it turns bright green, add the chicken and quinoa and heat them through. Add a bit more oil if it gets too dry. A little browning on this dish is good, but burn is not. (Note, if the broccoli is already cooked, just add it with the chicken and quinoa to heat through.)
• Add the egg white strips to the skillet, and distribute them throughout.
• Top with soy sauce, and heat through again.
• Eat. Up.

More info please?

This is a great way to use leftovers, and you should feel free to add any other vegetables you have on hand – peppers, carrots, peas, you name it. Just cook or heat them at the stage where you cook the broccoli, above. I assume it goes without saying that this could easily be adapted to be vegetarian – either use a protein substitute or just increase the vegetable portion.