Orange & Tomato Simmered Chicken & Quinoa

It’s been a bit cooler this week, which is odd for August. And I by no means ever want to wish summer away because I desperately love warm weather. But, this weather has me in the mood for cooler weather Autumn dishes. Think dishes like squash, and apples or like this one with fennel and carrots.

I’m so in love with Fall flavors so a teeny part of me was excited to make this for dinner. It comes together quickly and half of the cooking time is hands off time, which is ok in my book! A quick sear of the chicken, a sautee of the veggies and a mix of it all together in a sauce and it’s done! Details below!

Questions? Let me know in the comments!

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Orange & Tomato Simmered Chicken & Quinoa

Servings: 4
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 medium fennel bulb, with stalks
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch-thick round slices
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup orange juice
10 pitted olives (any kind), quartered
1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups cooked quinoa

Directions

Trim tough outer leaves from fennel, remove and discard stalks and cut off fonds (you can freeze these and use them at a later time for things like chicken soup). Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise; discard core. Vertically slice fennel bulb and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until well browned (chicken will not be fully cooked yet). Transfer chicken to a plate.
Add sliced fennel, onion, and carrot to same pan; cook 3 minutes. Add cinnamon and cook 1 minute. Add orange juice, olives, and tomatoes. Increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add chicken and accumulated juices to pan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes or until chicken is done.
Serve chicken and vegetables over warmed quinoa. Enjoy!