Smokey Quinoa-Crusted Chicken Strips

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenSmokey Quinoa-Crusted Chicken Strips

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	20 minutes	Total Time	40 minutes
Servings	8	Cost Per Serving	42.75

Quinoa-Crusted Chicken

8 pieces (1 kg)	Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips (or use firm tofu cut into strips)
1/2 cup	Buttermilk
2 tbsp	Nutritional Yeast
1 cup	Quinoa, cooked
2 tsp	Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp	Sea Salt
1/4 tsp	Ground Black Pepper

Sauce

1 tsp	Cornstarch
1 cup	Chicken Stock
1/4 cup	Apple Cider Cranberry Vinaigrette
To taste	Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a bowl combine buttermilk, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.
Toss chicken pieces in the marinade to coat them. Marinate for 30 minutes (optional).
Remove chicken from marinade. Discard the marinade.
Combine the cooked quinoa and smoked paprika. Press chicken pieces into the mixture to coat.
Arrange chicken in pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake until golden and cooked through, until a thermometer inserted into chicken reaches a temperature of 165°F, about 25 minutes.
In a small bowl combine the corn starch with 2 tbsp. of the chicken stock.
In a saucepan bring the remaining chicken stock to a boil.
Combine cornstarch mixture with cranberry vinaigrette.
Whisk into the stock and bring just up to a boil to thicken. Serve with chicken.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Smokey Quinoa-Crusted Chicken Strips

Quinoa contains several phytonutrients (healthy compounds found in plants) that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. In preliminary studies, animals fed quinoa each day had a lower risk of obesity.
Nutritional yeast is rich in B vitamins, which are essential for turning food into energy. The yellow colour comes from the concentration of the B vitamin riboflavin.