Hawaiian Chicken and Coca-Cola Quinoa

I decided on Hawaiian Chicken based on the fact that I had all of the ingredients. I love the way pineapple, red peppers, and cilantro taste together. This dish is simple and fast. As for the Coca-Cola Quinoa, well, I'm pretty sure I might be the only person in the universe who has ever made that dish before. But it is very good and the coke gives the quinoa a sweet flavor. For those of you who have never cooked with quinoa, it is a pseudocereal native of the Andean Mountain region. I used black quinoa, which has a rich, nutty taste. It's a great alternative to rice or couscous and is normally found in the health food section of any major chain grocery store. I have to give credit to my mother-in-law for the idea of cooking it in coke. She is the only person I have ever seen cook rice in Coca-cola. I figured it would probably taste just as good in quinoa. This idea gives way to so many other non-typical combinations: Red Wine Rice? Pale Ale Couscous? Imagine the possibilities...


Hawaiian Chicken Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts
1 can of crushed Pineapple
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1 hand full of Crackers, crushed
1 drizzle of Olive Oil
salt and pepper

Hawaiian Chicken Directions
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Add chicken to an oven safe dish. Top chicken with pineapple, red peppers, cilantro, and crackers crumbs. Salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Put it in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temp of 165.



Coca-Cola Quinoa Ingredients
1 cup of Black Quinoa
2 cups of Coca-Cola
3 stalks of Green Onion, diced
1 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1 medium Tomato, diced
salt

Coca-Cola Quinoa Directions
Pour 2 cups of Coke into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Cover and turn the flame to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Once the quinoa is done, add the remaining ingredients.



Ed's Verdict: Actually I have to be honest. Ed hates the idea of cooking anything in Coca-Cola. Neither one of us drink the stuff, but we happened to have some left over from a certain 4 year-old's birthday party. I hated to throw it out, so it's been sitting unopened in our garage. I remembered that his mom used to cook rice with it, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would taste like with quinoa. Before Ed realized what was in it, he loved it and thought it was fabulous. After I reveled to him the ingredients, he was less than amused. He has made me promise not to cook anything with coke in it again. Apparently its too non-cavemen/migraine causing. I think Ed's diets are stifling my creativity...