Juicy Spinach Chicken Quinoa Casserole
Try this Juicy Spinach Chicken Quinoa Casserole recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Juicy Spinach Chicken Quinoa Casserole recipe, or contribute your own.
- 3 cups water
- ground black pepper to taste
- cooking spray (i use misto)
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa dry
- 11/2 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts diced
- 1 lb zucchini cut in chunks
- 1 cup packed basil
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt
- 11 oz spinach coarsely chopped
- 1 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 9.52322317919075 g
- Cholesterol 1592.1116603 mg
- Fat 94.0928543160809 g
- Fiber 0.228245655577996 g
- Protein 631.683261437569 g
- Saturated Fat 34.9089436889104 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (5070g)
- Sodium 326669.914312909 mg
- Sugar 9.29497752361276 g
- Trans Fat 10.8473399894884 g
- Calories 3574 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium pot, add quinoa, water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
- In the meanwhile, in a food processor add zucchini, basil, oil, garlic, salt and black pepper. Process until sauce forms.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked quinoa, raw chicken, sauce from step above and spinach. Mix well and transfer to a previously prepared baking dish. Slightly level with spatula but do not press.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake covered for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, cut into 8 squares and serve hot.
Unlike a stovetop risotto that demands constant attention and gradual liquid addition, this baked casserole relies on enclosed thermal convection to cook raw proteins and starches simultaneously inside a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Utilizing a covered vessel traps ambient steam generated by the zucchini puree and fresh spinach, preventing the exposed chicken and quinoa surface from desiccating under dry oven heat. While the oven preheats to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, managing mise en place efficiently allows the quinoa to absorb its initial water allotment during its mandatory 12-minute simmer before combining with the raw poultry.
Processing the zucchini, basil, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil in a food processor breaks down cellular walls to release endogenous moisture, creating a vibrant green emulsion that coats every grain of quinoa evenly. Because diced raw chicken breasts release significant juices during the initial stages of baking, leveling the mixture loosely with a spatula without compacting it ensures that heat circulates uniformly through the dense mass. Covering the dish tightly with foil for the entire 30-minute bake duration retains internal moisture, whereas removing the cover prematurely risks toughening the mozzarella or cheddar cheese layer before the interior reaches a safe cooking temperature.
Baking casseroles containing high-moisture vegetables like the 11 ounces of coarsely chopped spinach requires precise resting intervals to allow internal starches to gelatinize fully. Allowing the baked squares to rest undisturbed for five minutes post-oven stabilizes the protein matrix, making clean extraction into eight distinct portions significantly easier without structural crumbling.
