Stewed chicken with zucchini & mushrooms
A 41-gram protein plate that builds its own sauce. Browning the chicken first leaves behind flavor in the pot. The zucchini and mushrooms soak that up when they go in next, and two tablespoons of mustard with a splash of water pull everything into a concentrated stew that simmers for about 15 minutes.
Pour the vegetables and all the liquid straight over quinoa, and the stewing juice becomes the sauce. Seven ingredients, 20 minutes, 647 calories, 12 grams of fiber.
A 41-gram protein plate that builds its own sauce. Browning the chicken first leaves behind flavor in the pot. The zucchini and mushrooms soak that up when they go in next, and two tablespoons of mustard with a splash of water pull everything into a concentrated stew that simmers for about 15 minutes.
Pour the vegetables and all the liquid straight over quinoa, and the stewing juice becomes the sauce. Seven ingredients, 20 minutes, 647 calories, 12 grams of fiber.
Ingredients
- quinoa 3 ounces
- zucchini 1
- mushrooms 4.5 ounce
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- water 1.75 fluid ounce
- yellow mustard 2 tablespoons
Method
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Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions.
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Slice the zucchini into thick half slices. Cut the mushrooms in half. Season the chicken breast with pepper and salt.
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Heat the oil in a stew pot and briefly brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken breast from the pot and sauté the zucchini and mushrooms in the pan drippings until browned. Add the water and the mustard and return the chicken to the pot. Lower the heat and stew for 12-15 minutes until cooked through. If needed, add a splash more water. Remove the chicken breast from the pot and slice it.
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Season the vegetables with pepper and salt. Add the vegetables with the liquid over the quinoa and serve with the stewed chicken.
The recipe calls for just under two ounces of water. Keep it that way. Less liquid means the mustard concentrates as it stews, turning into a thick sauce that clings to the quinoa instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate. If the pot runs dry before the chicken is cooked through, add water a tablespoon at a time rather than a full pour.
Behind this recipe
Why does this recipe use so little water?
The 53 milliliters of water is just enough to dissolve the mustard and create steam for the stew. The real liquid comes from the mushrooms and zucchini, which release moisture as they cook. More water would dilute the mustard sauce and turn the stewing juice into a thin broth instead of a concentrated coating for the quinoa.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes, but the macros shift. Thighs carry more fat and slightly less protein per gram than breast. The 41 grams of protein and 24 grams of fat in this recipe reflect 84 grams of chicken breast. Switching to thighs adds roughly 5 to 8 grams of fat depending on whether the skin is removed. The cooking time stays the same.
Is 41 grams of protein enough for one meal?
Research on per-meal protein distribution has found that the body can use well beyond 20 to 30 grams per sitting for muscle building. The older ceiling came from short-term studies that missed slower-digesting protein's full effect. At 41 grams, this meal sits within the range where studies consistently show a strong muscle protein synthesis response.
Read the full evidence review
