Quinoa Chaufa with Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken Thighs, diced
• 3 cups cooked quinoa, cooled and dry
• 1 Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 cup Scallion, sliced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs (optional)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Cilantro and lime, to finish

Method

1. Get your widest pan smoking hot. Chaufa is fried rice's Peruvian cousin, and it demands the same thing: high heat and cold, dry grains.
2. Sear the Chicken Thighs in a little oil until browned and just cooked, 3–4 minutes. Push to the side.
3. If using eggs, scramble them hard in the empty half, breaking into ribbons.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, Bell Pepper, and Scallion; stir-fry 2 minutes. Then the quinoa — press it flat and let it crackle 60 seconds before tossing. Those crispy bits are the point.
5. Season with the soy sauce and sesame oil, tossing until every grain is glossy. Finish with cilantro and a hard squeeze of lime.