Sambal Chicken & Quinoa “Fried Rice”

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into small florets. Cut off and discard the stems of the pepper. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then medium dice. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops.

Add the quinoa to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly. 

Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1/3 cup of water to boiling on high. Once boiling, carefully add the broccoli florets in an even layer; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook, without stirring, 5 to 6 minutes, or until the broccoli is lightly browned and the water is cooked off. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the diced pepper, chopped garlic, and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the soy sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until combined and the chicken is cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to the bowl of cooked broccoli. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Crack the egg into a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Beat until smooth. To the pan of reserved fond, add the sesame oil; heat on medium-high until hot. Add the cooked quinoa in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly crispy. Using a spoon, move the quinoa to one side of the pan. Add the beaten egg to the other side. Cook, constantly stirring the egg, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked through. Stir the quinoa and egg to combine. Transfer to the bowl of cooked chicken and vegetables; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished chicken, vegetables, and quinoa garnished with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!