• Put a pot of salted water big enough for the quinoa over high heat and bring to a boil.

Prep the Ingredients

• Wash and dry the chicken, garlic, shallots, and parsley.
• Dice the garlic and shallots; roughly chop the pistachios and dried cherries. Pull the parsley leaves from the stems and chop — save or discard the stems.
• Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Cook the Quinoa

• Add the quinoa to the boiling water once it's rolling. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until tender — taste a few grains rather than going by the clock. Drain and set aside.

Toast the Pistachios

• Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for a minute or two. Add the chopped pistachios and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant — this takes a couple of minutes and turns to burnt fast if you stop stirring.
• Remove from the pan and set aside.

Cook the Chicken

• In the same pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
• Add the chicken breasts, tent loosely with foil, and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, checking the thinnest piece first — it's done when an instant thermometer reads 165°F, or the juices run clear when you cut in.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate, tent loosely with the same foil, and let rest. It will keep cooking gently while you finish the salad.

Build the Quinoa Salad 

• In the same pan, add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, stir, then add the garlic and cook about 45 seconds, until fragrant — stir often so the garlic doesn't catch.
• Add the spinach and cook a couple of minutes until wilted.
• Stir in the chopped cherries and toasted pistachios.
• Add the cooked quinoa, season with salt and pepper, and combine everything with a large spoon.
• Taste and adjust. Remove from heat.

Plate and Serve

• Spoon the quinoa salad onto plates and top each with a chicken breast. Crumble goat cheese over the chicken, garnish with parsley, and serve.

How I Make It Now: Roasted Version

• This isn't the original recipe — it's the version we make most often now, roasting the chicken instead of pan-searing it. Same ingredient list above; only the chicken method changes.
• Heat the oven to 425°F.
• Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place on a rimmed sheet pan or in an oven-safe skillet.
• Roast 18 to 22 minutes, checking the thickest breast with an instant thermometer starting around minute 16 — pull them at 160°F, since they'll climb a few more degrees while resting.
• Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing or plating whole.
• While the chicken roasts, cook the quinoa salad exactly as described above — quinoa, toasted pistachios, shallots, garlic, spinach, cherries — in a separate pan on the stovetop.
• Plate the quinoa salad, top with the roasted chicken, finish with goat cheese and parsley.