Creamy Chicken, Vege & Quinoa Casserole


This recipe is a tasty, creamy casserole that is super filling. I always have quinoa stocked in the cupboard and am always on the look out for new recipes that use quinoa. When i first started using quinoa I always managed to add too much liquid, which lead to mushy quinoa. This recipe has a perfect amount of liquid that the quinoa absorbs and gives it a lovely creamy texture. 
You will know the quinoa is done when it is soft and looks as if it has popped open, with the germ of the kernel visible as a little spiral. If the casserole is too runny, just bake it a little longer. With enough time, it should get that moisture soaked right up into a creamy sauce.

This recipe serves 4. 

Ingredients

2 cups of chicken stock 
1 cup almond milk (or normal milk)
1 teaspoon herbs (I use parsley)
½ cup white spelt flour
1 cup of water
1 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)
¼ cup cooked bacon (diced) 
2 large chicken breasts 
¼ cup shredded cheese (any kind will work)
3 cups fresh vegetables (I used a cup each of broccoli, peas & mushrooms)


Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 200℃ and  grease a  baking dish (make sure you grease the dish well because it really sticks to the sides). 

2. Bring the chicken stock and ½ a cup of the milk to a low boil in a saucepan. 

3. Whisk the other ½ a cup of milk with the herbs and flour. Then add the mixture to the boiling liquid and whisk until a smooth creamy sauce forms.

4.  In a large bowl, mix the sauce with the water, quinoa, and bacon and stir to combine. 

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. 

6. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and lay the chicken breasts strips over the top of the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes.

7.  Remove the casserole from the oven, add in the vegetables and stir until combined. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to cook the vegetables and get the right consistency. 

8. Remove from oven and top with the cheese and bake for 5 minutes, or just long enough to melt the cheese.

Enjoy x

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Frozen Bounty Bars

Image
These frozen coconut & chocolate bounty bars are amazing! If you are craving a chocolate bar but don't want the guilt then these bounty bars are by far your best answer! The recipe only has a few ingredients and is also really easy - you just have to wait a few hours for the coconut mix to freeze, but trust me its worth it!  Ingredients Bars 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut ⅓ cup coconut cream ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence Chocolate Coating  4 tablespoons coconut oil 2 tablespoons cacao powder ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence Method  1. In a bowl mix the shredded coconut with the coconut cream and the vanilla extract, blend well with a spatula or a spoon.  2. Place the shredded coconut mixture on a small tray/dish lined with baking paper.  3. Shape it into a flat rectangle about 4 inches by 6 inches and 1 inch thick (measurements may vary). 4. Place in the freezer for 2 hours, until frozen solid. 5. Remove from the freezer and cut into
Read more

Massaman Fish Curry

Image
I found this single-serve Fish Curry recipe on the I Quit Sugar blog and knew i had to make it! It is filled with lots of fresh veggies and only takes 30 minutes to cook, which makes this dish the perfect mid-week recipe.  I've just used the veggies i had in my fridge, you can add in any veggies you like.  Note: if using store brought massaman curry paste (or any curry paste for that matter) make sure you read the list of ingredients because they can be full of oil and sugar.  If the first ingredient is oil, then don't buy it, the first ingredient should be a flavour like onion, chilli or lemongrass. Also try to avoid pastes that use palm oil.  Ingredients 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1/4 onion (thinly sliced) 1/2  capsicum/pepper (thinly sliced) 1/2 carrot (thinly sliced - lengthwise) 1 tin (165ml) coconut milk 2 tablespoons massaman curry paste The juice from 1/2 a lime 2-3 drops fish sauce 150 g white-fleshed fish fillet, 1 cup of frozen peas  1 t
Read more

Finnish Scones

Image
These healthy scones are a great snack or can also be used as toast (cut in half and pop into the toaster or toast in the oven) or as bread for sandwiches etc. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups of wholemeal spelt flour 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder A pinch of salt 1 tablespoon of olive oil 150ml of water Method 1. Preheat the oven to 220 ℃ and line a tray with baking paper. 2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 3. Add the oil to the mixture and pour in the water (half of it at a time to check the consistency - if becomes to wet add more flour). Mix with a wooden spoon. 4. Lightly flour baking tray and hands. Divide the dough into two pieces and place on the baking tray. 5. Pat each piece into about 1cm thick discs. Using a knife cute each disc into 4 scones. 6. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. 7. Serve hot with organic butter or use as bread for toast/sandwiches. Enjoy x
Read more