Recipe: Hainanese Chicken with Quinoa

Disclosure: This blog has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and the Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #LetYourHolidaySparkle #CollectiveBias

It's that time of the year again when parties and eating abound. With the chilly weather outside gathering merrily with friends for dinner, I've decided to modify a classic Hainanese Chicken recipe for a healthier version with quinoa instead of white rice and used chicken breast instead of a whole chicken. I also paired it with smartwater sparkling to add a twist to the meal while entertaining friends.

smartwater

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts
kosher salt
4'' section of fresh ginger in 1/4'' slices
2 stalks green onions, cut into 1" sections (both the green and white parts) 
3 cloves garlic

For the quinoa: 
2 tablespoon vegetable oil 
3 cloves garlic, finely minced 
1'' section of ginger, finely minced
2 cups quinoa
2 cups reserved chicken broth 
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 

For the chili ginger soy sauce: 
1 tablespoon shredded ginger
1 teaspoon chili sauce 
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce 

Directions:
1. Rub the chicken breasts with salt thoroughly. 
2. Prepare a pot with 4 cups of boiling water. Add the garlic and ginger. 
3. Once the water is boiling, lower it down to medium-level and add the chicken breasts.
4. Depending on the thickness of your chicken, wait for 5-10 minutes. Always check that there are no more reddish color in between the thickest part of the chicken. Turn off the stove once done.
5. While waiting for the chicken to cook through, heat up a saute pan with oil. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, sesame oil and uncooked quinoa until well-coated and fragrant.
6. Pour the quinoa into a rice cooker. Start scooping out 2 cups of chicken broth from the pot. Wait for 10 minutes or until quinoa is cooked.
7. Using a thong, take the chicken out of the pot. Unlike using a whole chicken, there is no need for an ice bath. Instead, place the breasts on a cutting board and wait for it to cool. Then cut it into diagonal pieces.
8. For the sauce, combine all ingredients together.


Serve with a bowl of chicken soup and smartwater sparkling. Optional: sprinkle sesame seeds on top.


Instead of pairing it with regular water, I made my way to the nearest Safeway to buy smartwater sparkling to up the ante and innovate on my entertaining skills for this holiday season. This is not your average sparkling water since it is vapor distilled with electrolytes for taste. It is the perfect beverage for entertaining to impress friends and family. 


Get ready to elevate your dining experience. You can purchase smartwater sparkling at Safeway.

chicken recipe

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2 comments

  1. This looks delicious. I've never had the dish before but it's definitely one I'd like to try. Thanks for sharing. {client}

    ReplyDelete