March 14th 2024
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Protein intake has been associated with better cognitive performance later in life, and this recipe packs in a lot thanks to pasture-raised chicken and hearty quinoa. It also offers a huge variety of antioxidants from mint, pomegranate, za’atar, garlic, and olive oil which combat oxidative stress for full-body longevity support and cognitive protection.
Pistachios are another ingredient with special brain-boosting properties. They have been found to produce a strong gamma wave response, which is critical for enhancing cognitive processing, information retention, learning, perception, and rapid eye movement during sleep. I love adding them to unexpected dishes like the mint salsa that tops the chicken and quinoa in this recipe; I always make extra to have around.
Enjoy!
Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, MD
Ingredients:
Chicken Quinoa Pilaf
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on pasture-raised chicken thighs
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on pasture-raised chicken drumsticks
- 4 tablespoons za’atar, divided
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 large garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 2 lemons, zested, and juiced
- 1 large fennel, cut into wedges lengthwise
- 1 large leek, sliced lengthwise and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup quinoa
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
Pistachio Salsa
- ⅓ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Method:
1. In an oven-safe baking dish, add chicken along with za’atar, salt, ground black pepper, garlic, avocado oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Rub chicken with mixture. This could be made up to 24 hours before cooking and kept in the refrigerator. If you’ve done so and had it in the refrigerator, let the chicken reach room temperature before baking.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F, once hot add the chicken and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and lower oven temperature to 400°F. Remove chicken and place on a plate while adding the fennel, leek, and quinoa into the baking dish. Add the chicken back on top, along with any juices that were left on the plate. Top with hot water, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.
4. After 25 minutes, remove the cover and bake for 20 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.
5. Make the salsa by adding the pistachios, olives, and mint to a small mixing bowl along with pomegranate seeds, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and the remaining za’atar spice. Mix well and add salt and pepper if needed.
6. Pour salsa on top of the chicken when ready to serve.
Nutritional analysis (per serving): Calories: 756g, Total Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 212mg, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 58g, Carbohydrates: 26g, Sodium: 506mg, Sugars: 6g, Net Carbs: 22g
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