Southwestern Quinoa Chicken Bowl

This is a yummy, easy, healthy, hodge podge mixture of food that is Dee-lish! This was the first time that Garrett ever tried Quinoa and he loved it! It's super good for you too. It is one of the few grains (maybe the only one?) that gives you all the essential amino acids of a protein like meat does! If it was truly "Southwestern" I probably should have thrown some beans in the mix but I don't like beans so sue me haha!

Southwestern Quinoa Chicken Bowl (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)

Quinoa (Cooked according to package directions. I cooked mine in chicken broth)

Chicken breasts, chopped (1 breast per person, season with Creole or Cajun seasoning)

Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Optional Mix-ins:

Tomatoes

Corn

Avocados

Beans

1. Cook Quinoa according to package directions but use chicken broth instead of water. (1/2 cup dry quinoa usually serves 2 people when its cooked)
2. Season and chop chicken into bite size pieces. Cook chicken breasts in pan or George Foreman grill.
3. Mix quinoa with desired add-in's and pour some creamy cilantro dressing on top.

Cafe Rio Creamy Cilantro Dressing

So if you have never been to the restaurant Cafe Rio let me tell you that you are missing out BIG TIME. Sorry East Coasters and Ohioans it's only on the West coast right now that I know of. I know a lot of people feel like they have to take sides between Chipotle and Cafe Rio but I love both of them and their menus and flavors are so different I don't think that you can compare them. Here is a recipe for their famous salad dressing. I love to use it on a lot of things like I drizzle some on my tacos, of course you can use it on mexican inspired salads, and pretty much anything that I think it will taste yummy with! It makes a lot so I freeze everything else that won't fit in my salad dressing bottle. I will post more Cafe Rio copycat recipes soon!

This is a tomatillo just in case you didn't know!

Cafe Rio Creamy Cilantro Copycat Recipe

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not buttermilk!)

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tomatillos, remove husk, quartered

1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic

juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeño (if you like it really spicy leave the seeds in)

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend it until it is ultra smooth with no chunks. (I probably leave the blender on for at least a minute just so everything is completely pulverized!)