Light Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Quinoa Skillet is an easy one pot dinner idea loaded with healthy tropical flavors. Quinoa, shrimp, pineapple and unsweetened coconut make up this flavorful and delicious dish for a healthy meal everyone will love.
Light Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Quinoa Skillet
Over Easter weekend, I put myself in charge of cooking…to the dismay of some of my family. They don’t like things outside of “the box” you guys, so they are always worried about what I make and fussing along the way. Despite my mother’s reservations, she will always happily accept my office to cook if it means she doesn’t have to.
I didn’t want to take them too far out of their comfort zones, so sadly I didn’t prepare this Light Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Quinoa Skillet for them. For lunch on Saturday I went with tostadas which are always a crowd pleaser. I opted for a new chipotle beef and refried bean version as well as these Buffalo Chicken Tostadas, sans sweet corn, seeing it isn’t in season yet.
Once everyone realized they were being fed glorified tacos, they chilled out and gobbled up the food! I will share the chipotle beef tostadas soon, I promise, because they are one of my favorite new meals!
After easing everyone into a classic meal and having them let their guards down, I decided to hit them with some serious flavors for dinner that evening. 😀
I opted for a more tropical spin on this particular meal. For the main dish, I served these Roasted Jalapeño, Pineapple & Chicken Tenders and for a side dish I made this awesome Coconut Rice from A Family Feast. The rice dish was fantastic, and I loved the flavor combo of coconut milk, lime and pineapple. So fresh and delicious!
The chicken tenders are a favorite meal of mine, but they went a bit left this particular evening. My mom picked up a fresh pineapple to use for the meal and she ended up buying the hardest pineapple with absolutely no flavor ever. I was disappointed and in panic mode, so I decided on a whim that canned pineapple rings would be a better options with more flavor. Not so much…
The chicken tenders were completely lacking without the great sweetness and flavor from fresh pineapple. This along with the fact that I got distracted and overcooked them, which dried out the chicken, made them a serious flop. Ugh, you guys, seriously, please know that I screw up meals all the time. You are NOT alone! I promise, if you follow this recipe accurately though, they will be seriously delicious.
All in all, the real win for me during that dinner was this Coconut Rice. The flavor combo inspired me to make this Light Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Quinoa Skillet. This is a full meal deal in a skillet that is on the healthier side. Succulent shrimp add protein to the dish and the quinoa adds a nutty and healthy bite. The unsweetened coconut chips on the top are optional, but I really found that they added a great amount of flavor and texture to the final meal. I would highly recommend them!
Not only does this make for a light and delicious dinner, it is perfect for packing up leftovers for easy lunches!
Light Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Quinoa Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 c. uncooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 c. light coconut milk
- 1 c. water
- 2 c. pineapple diced
- 2/3 c. green onions diced
- zest and juice from a 1/2 lime
- 1/4 c. cilantro finely diced (+ extra for garnish)
- 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut chips toasted (optional)
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and garlic to the pan. Toss the shrimp wtih the paprika, cumin and salt and saute in the oil for 1-2 min on each side until pink and cooked through. Remove the shrimp from pan and set aside. Add the quinoa to the pan and toast it for 2-3 minutes. If there isn't sufficient oil left in the pat to toast the quinoa, add a bit more.
- Add the coconut milk, water, pineapple, green onion and lime zest to the quinoa and bring to a boil. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes on high. Reduce to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp back in 3 minutes before the quinoa is done along with the lime juice so they can warm back through.
- Garnish with cilantro and coconut chips and serve immediately.
More great quinoa dishes!
Light Cheeseburger Quinoa Skillet
Harvest Chicken Quinoa Salad
Asparagus, Chicken & Quinoa Bake
Can I make this with resh pineapple instead of canned?
Absolutely!