Italian Inspired Quinoa Bowls with Herby Balsamic Chicken, Mozzarella, Zucchini, and Roasted Red Peppers

If you all loved the Snap Pea and Green Goddess Chicken Quinoa bowls, you’ll also love this version. I used my herby balsamic vinaigrette to first marinate the mini mozzarella balls, and then added the both the mozzarella and the dressing to the quinoa. I could eat these little fun cheese balls by themselves, but they also add a delicious creamy texture into these bowls.

In this recipe below, I’ll also share how I make a homemade roasted red pepper. Because I have a gas stove, I place the washed red pepper directly on the flame and LET IT BURN! If you don’t have a gas stove, you can do this in your oven with the broil setting. We will eventually remove the charred layer, and you’ll end up with a roasty, toasty, delicious red pepper. I love to also do this with eggplant to make baba ganoush. If you’re not in the mood to test this out, feel free to substitute with jarred roasted red peppers (I like to get them at either Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods), and it’ll be just as delicious.

Serves 4-5

VIDEO TURTORIAL HERE: Italian Inspired Quinoa Bowls with Herby Balsamic Chicken, Mozzarella, Zucchini, and Roasted Red Peppers VIDEO

Ingredients:

For the Bowl:

• 1 cup white quinoa
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 cups of water
• 3 zucchini, cut into thin 1/4″ half moons
• 1 red bell pepper, or 1 jar of store-bought roasted red peppers
• 8 ounces mini mozzarella balls
• Neutral oil – for searing zucchini and chicken thighs

For the Herby Balsamic Chicken:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove of minced garlic)

For the Dressing:

• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• black pepper
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a small pot, make the quinoa according to package instructions – I add the 1 cup of quinoa to the pot and give this a quick toast. Then, add the 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring up to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Then, marinate the chicken by combining the chicken, chopped cilantro, kosher salt, garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, and neutral oil. Mix together and let sit while you work on the other items.
3. Next, cut the mozzarella balls in half (you can leave them whole if you prefer).
4. Make the herby balsamic vinaigrette by combining all the ingredients together and whisking together. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, then pour 2/3 of the dressing into a bowl with the mozzarella balls. Also let this sit as we work on the other items.
5. Now, we’ll char the red pepper. Wash the pepper and add this directly to your gas stove flame. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can also do this with the broil setting in the oven. Turn the pepper every minute or so until the pepper is completely black and burned. Add this to a bowl or plate and cover with plastic (this will help release the burned part from the flesh and make it easier to peel. Let this sit for 10 minutes.
6. In the meantime, cut the zucchini into 1/4″ thick half moons. Heat a pan on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Sear the zucchini for 1-2 minutes on each side, stirring occasionally until light brown and just tender. Season with kosher salt and set aside in a mixing bowl. For 3 zucchini, I typically split this into 2 separate batches.
7. After the zucchini is finished cooking, sear the chicken in the same pan. Feel free to cook the chicken in whichever way you prefer(air fryer, etc), I always like the cast iron. Sear for 10-12 minutes on medium heat, flipping occasionally.
8. As the chicken is cooking, finish prepping the red bell pepper. Begin to remove the burned skin from the pepper, using a bit of water if needed as well. After all the black parts are removed (if you keep any black parts, it will taste burnt!), dice this up and add it to the mixing bowl.
9. At this point, your quinoa should also be finished cooking. Fluff this a bit to let it cool, then add it to the mixing bowl with the zucchini and roasted red pepper.
10. Once the chicken is finished cooking, dice this up and add this, along with the marinated mozzarella balls (and the marinade / dressing) to the mixing bowl. Give everything a stir, add in a bit more reserved dressing if you prefer, and serve!