Pesto Quinoa with Tomatoes, Chicken, Arugula and Red Currants

I'm so happy that fall has finally settled in to Southern California. The skies are overcast and it's been drizzling for three days straight...I couldn't be happier!!  The farmers market is bursting with fall produce, but there are still plenty of summer finds. A few weeks ago, I found a pint of red currants. I couldn't really find any recipes that I wanted to make with them so I just threw them into this salad. It totally worked because this salad is really more of a method than an actual recipe. Thanks to Diana, pesto stirred into quinoa is my new obsession.  Measurements here are vague because it's really all to taste. Add what you want, take away what you don't like.



Pesto Quinoa with Tomatoes, Chicken, Arugula, and Red Currants
(By Esi)

Makes 2 generous servings

1 cup cooked quinoa, at room temperature
2 tablespoons pesto
Olive oil as needed
2 chicken breasts or thighs, cooked, cooled to room temperature, and sliced
Handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2-3 handfuls baby arugula
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful red currants, picked off the vine
1-2 tablespoons crumbled feta

In a large bowl, toss the quinoa with the pesto. Add olive oil as needed if the mixture seems too dry. Add the chicken, tomatoes, and arugula. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the quinoa on a plate or in a bowl and top each plate with some of the currants and feta.

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