Chicken with Roast Cauliflower & Root Vegetable Quinoa

Cauliflower is one of Neil’s favourite vegetables, especially if it has been roasted like in this recipe, so that parts of it have started to caramelise and crisp up. We are both big fans of different textures in our meals and this one is a great example of this. My inspiration comes from a recipe I discovered a while back now on the Tesco Real Food website when I had lots of cauliflower and I didn’t know what to do with it all. It has become one of my favourite recipes to make now and I hope you enjoy it too.

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Chicken with Roast Cauliflower & Root Vegetable Quinoa

Keyword

Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicken, Parsnip, Quinoa, Root Vegetables

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cauliflower
• 2 carrots
• 2 parsnips
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 125 g quinoa
• 250 ml boiling water
• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper for seasoning

Keyword Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicken, Parsnip, Quinoa, Root Vegetables Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Servings people Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cauliflower 2 carrots 2 parsnips 1 onion 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp chilli flakes 125 g quinoa 250 ml boiling water 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts salt and pepper for seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
2. Peel and slice the onion in to thick wedges.
3. Peel and slice the parsnip and carrot in to similar sized baton shapes, about the length of your finger.
4. Cut the cauliflower in to small florets.
5. Coat the vegetables in the olive oil and sprinkle over the thyme and chilli flakes.
6. Place in a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Giving them a mix half way through.
7. Prepare the chicken breasts by coating them in a little olive oil and some salt and pepper if you wish.
8. With 20 minutes left on the vegetables, make the quinoa by placing the boiling water and grains in a lidded saucepan over a low heat on the hob. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave to stand with the lid still on for 5 minutes to absorb any excess moisture.
9. At the same time as starting the quinoa, heat a griddle or frying pan over a high heat and once hot, fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side depending on size. Then finish them off cooking by placing them on top of the roasting vegetables for the final 10 minutes.
10. Once everything is cooked divide the quinoa between 2 bowls, scatter over the roasted vegetables and place the chicken on top.

Recipe Notes

If you make this, let me know how it goes and share your photos.  I’d also love to hear how you adapt it to suit yourself.