Chicken, Quinoa and Balsamic Drizzle

Quinoa is a great way to bulk up a meal if you are missing carbs. Its high in protein and so versatile. Here, we have roasted vegetables (with a nod to asparagus which are currently in season) and grilled chicken breasts, but the star of the show is the wickedly acidic balsamic reduction that brings all the elements together. This recipe serves 2, so if you are cooking for one, make the full recipe, and you will have leftovers to look forward to the next day.

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, cut into 8 wedges
• 80g asparagus, trimmed
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
• olive oil (you will use 3 teaspoons in total)
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed (65g / 2.2oz)
• 15g basil leaves, thinly sliced (0.7oz)
• 2 chicken breasts, skinless and deboned
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (80ml)
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp runny honey

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F.
2. Place the tomato wedges, asparagus and sliced garlic into a roasting pan and drizzle with one teaspoon olive oil. Roast in the oven for 30 min.
3. Use that time to prepare the rest of the dish. Rinse and cook the quinoa according to packet instructions.
4. In the meantime, heat one teaspoon olive oil in a pan and cook the onions until caramelised. Add to the cooked quinoa. Set aside and keep warm.
5. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and heat another teaspoon olive oil in the same pan you used for the onions. Grill on both sides until nicely browned, then add the balsamic vinegar, mustard and honey to the pan. Reduce the heat slightly and allow the balsamic mixture to reduce to a syrup, as the chicken will finish cooking through while in the reduction.
6. Add the shredded basil to the warm quinoa and remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. Combine it all and divide the mixture between two plates.
7. Remove the chicken from the pan and slice if you want to. Place on top the quinoa and drizzle the delicious, balsamic reduction over the whole lot.
8. Season well and serve immediately.