glass-placeholder

Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole

duration16 mins
meal_typeLunch
cooking_typeBaked
taste_typeSavory

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 cups water , divided
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa , rinsed
  • 1/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp seasoning (like Emeril’s Essence or any basic blend you like)
  • 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (any kind will work)
  • Salt and pepper

Steps

  1. Sauce: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish (make sure to be generous because it really sticks to the sides). In a saucepan, pour in half the milk and chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Whisk the remaining milk with the flour and mix into the saucepan. Stir well until sauce becomes thick and creamy.
  2. In a bowl, mix the sauce from step one, 1 cup of water, quinoa, and bacon. Stir to combine well. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Slice the chicken breasts into strips and layer them over the top of the quinoa mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven uncovered and bake for 30 minutes.
  3. While the casserole is in the oven, put the broccoli in a bowl of boiling water for 1 minute until it turns bright green and then run under cold water. Set aside.
  4. Bake: Remove the casserole from the oven, stir the mixture and check if you’ll need to bake longer (maybe 10-15mins more). When the quinoa and chicken are cooked and the sauce is nice and thick, add the broccoli and a little bit of water (up to one cup) until it is smooth enough to be mixed in the pan. Top with the cheese and bake for until cheese melts and bubbles.
Please be mindful of any allergies you and/or your family may have before you try out this recipe.