This easy Quinoa Crusted Chicken with Goat Cheese is quick, healthy and gluten free! A perfect meal for busy weeknights that both kids and adults will love!
PIN Quinoa Crusted Chicken with Goat Cheese
(Photos updated Sept 2018, originally post in 2014. Narration not changed)
You know what’s fun?
Putting the TV on mute and then making up your own narrative.
Not that I am currently sitting at my computer, with the TV on mute, narrating to myself while I type.
I just thought you might need a good date night idea sometime, or something.
Don’t say I don’t look out for you.
Also, I will allow you to judge my lame, 27-year-old self for thinking that watching a mute TV is an acceptable date night. How the Huberoni puts up with me, I don’t know.
I think it’s the food. Scratch that. I KNOW it’s the food.
You know what else is fun, and also a lot less lame? Eating your side dish and your main dish TOGETHER. Liiiiike, at. The. Same. Time.
Mind blown? That’s what I thought.
Ever since those Potato Poppers where I failed miserably at using quinoa as a breading, I have been determined to make some sort of crusted quinoa chicken recipe work. Which we WON when we ate that jalapeno popper chicken with quinoa crust!
Who would have thought that quinoa breaded chicken would actually be SO SO DELICIOUS. I mean, between you and me, I pretty much thought that quinoa hit its ceiling at something more “traditional” like a quinoa chickpea avocado salad.
JOKES ON ME because quinoa’s ceiling? It is made of GLASS and it CRUSHES it when hugged around a juicy piece of chicken in a magical combo of side dish meets main dish AT ONCE.
True life fact: If anything can make a chicken breast recipe a winner, it’s goat cheese. I mean, have you tried makes goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts? Or really, have you just tried goat cheese in general? It can even make a goat cheese CHEESECAKE.
It’s GOLD.
You guys, this is probably one of the easiest dinners you will EVER make in all the dinners of your life. Yes, I know I say that a lot, but this proves it:
Mr. FFF was watching me create this recipe and he said that he thought that even HE could make it.
If he can do it, so can you.
I mean, he would burn Cheerios if that was somehow a possibility. LOVE YOU BABE.
Anyway. Back to easy, yummy quinoa crusted chicken.
Besides being super stinking easy your Cheerio-burning husband could make it, it also feels EQUALLY fancy in the sense that you’re pulling out your MARTHA STEWART chops and making your own BREADED CHICKEN.
I mean, she probably doesn’t eat breaded chicken. Probably only super-fancy duck or something, but you get it.
If you wanted to make it feel a little more “kid friendly,” I bet you could slice the chicken into quinoa crusted chicken strips too. <– Told you. Glass ceiling. The sky is TRULY the limit.
As if you needed more reasons to make this quinoa crusted chicken for dinner TONIGHT – guess what – you probably even have all the ingredients…because there ain’t very many.
Healthy Carbs? Check. Healthy Fat? Double Check. Protein? CHECK CHECK CHECK
Mic. DROP.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Blueberry High Protein Muffins with Quinoa
One Pan Mexican Quinoa Casserole in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1/2 Cup Uncooked quinoa divided
- 1/2 Cup Extra-Aged Goat Cheese Grated and divided*
- 1 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 1 Large egg white
- 1/2 Lb Chicken breasts 2 medium breasts
- Sliced roasted red peppers for garnish (From a jar, or I have a tutorial HERE)
- Sliced fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil and stir in 1/4 cup of the uncooked quinoa. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes.) Set aside to let the quinoa cool.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside
- Place the remaining 1/4 cup of uncooked quinoa into a spice grinder (or a magic bullet!)** and process until ground into a fine flour. Pour the quinoa flour into a large, shallow plate.
- Transfer the cooled, cooked quinoa into a large bowl and add in 1/4 cup of the grated Goat Cheese, the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well and pour into a large, shallow plate.
- Pour the egg white into a large shallow plate.
- Dredge each breast into the quinoa flour, pressing to get it evenly coated. Then, transfer each breast into the egg white, also making sure to evenly coat it. Finally, transfer the breasts into the cooked quinoa/cheese mixture, really making sure to coat each side. You will really have to press the quinoa in to make it stick. You will probably have leftover quinoa flour and cooked quinoa!
- Place the breasts onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Bake until lightly golden brown and crispy, about 20-25 minutes.
- Turn your oven to high broil, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese on the chicken and broil until melted, only about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with sliced roasted red pepper and basil and DEVOUR
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
(per 1 chicken breast, using all the quinoa but you will probably end up not using some)
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Liz says
I’m glad you got the quinoa coating figured out as this chicken is amazing!
Taylor Kiser says
Thank you Liz!
Toni says
I have quinoa flour that I plan to try instead of grinding the quinoa. Will see how that works!
Taylor Kiser says
I hope it works for you!
Chris David says
Hi! I’m loving this recipe so far! It’s just in the oven and I’m wishing it was done! Can’t wait to try as it smells delicious!
Taylor Kiser says
Hi, Chris! Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it.