Recipe: Quinoa, chicken and broccoli casserole

This is easy to throw together and it tastes delicious! Enjoy it as a weeknight meal one night this week…

Ingredients

2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken seasoning
½ cup flour
2 cups water, divided
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/2 kilo boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons all purpose seasoning
¼ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
3 cups fresh broccoli florets

Method

1. Sauce: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and generously grease a 9×13 baking dish. Bring the chicken stock and ½ cup milk to a low boil in a saucepan. Whisk the other ½ cup milk with the poultry seasoning and flour; add the mixture to the boiling liquid and whisk until a smooth creamy sauce forms.
2. Assembly: In a large bowl, mix the sauce from step one, one cup water, quinoa, and bacon and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and lay the chicken breasts strips over the top of the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with the seasoning. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. Broccoli: While the casserole is in the oven, place the broccoli in 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, check the mixture by stirring it around in the pan, and if needed, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to get the right consistency. When the quinoa and chicken are cooked and the sauce is thickened, add the broccoli and a little bit of water (up to one cup) until the consistency is creamy and smooth and you can stir it up easily in the pan. Top with the cheese and bake for 5 minutes, or just long enough to melt the cheese.