Chicken & Quinoa Florentine Bake

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found on Better Homes & Gardens website.  I find this site has some of the best recipes primed for adaptation!

We have made it with pasta, as the original recipe states, and it is delicious, but I wanted something with less carbs and more protein and quinoa is just that!

Quinoa is one of those 'in' ingredients right now, there are recipes available on all the coolest sites, but "why quinoa?" I hear you cry! So here is a link to tell you all you need to know, well at least some of the basics! Quinoa

We recently made this for a weekend away, well actually I made about double the amount any normal human can eat, as usual, so we decided to save the second batch and have it a few days later.  It kept really well, refrigerated obviously, and reheated really well too, so bear that in mind as you will want it again and again!

In a large skillet, add oil, then add the onion and garlic, cook until browned

Add the spinach, and cook until wilted.  Add onion, garlic and spinach into a bowl and set aside.

In the skillet add a little more oil and cook the mushrooms until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a medium sized pot, add the quinoa, and 1 3/4 C water, and salt to taste, bring to boil and then simmer until all the water has evaporated.  Stirring occasionally. Add to the bowl.

Add artichokes, butter beans and chicken to the bowl (if the chicken is not already cooked, dice the breasts and cook until they are browned before adding them to the bowl)

Add all the seasonings to the bowl and mix until all the ingredients are coated.

In a small bowl/pitcher, mix the eggs and milk, then pour over the ingredients in the bowl, mixing well

Add the Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheese to the bowl, and stir.

Pour all ingredients into an ovenproof baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake on 350F for 25 mins.

In a small bowl mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and paprika, set aside.

Remove from oven and remove foil and add breadcrumb mixture, ensuring the dish is fully covered with a sprinkling of the mixture.

Return to oven and bake, uncovered for 10mins, or until golden brown on top.

Serve immediately! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Chicken breasts - 1 per person, or cooked chicken, shredded
1 C Quinoa, or cooked pasta
1/2 C onion, diced
10 cloves garlic, diced (can you tell I am married to a Sicilian!!)
4oz fresh spinach
1 can artichokes, drained and quartered
1 can butter beans or white beans, drained
10 mushrooms, white and/or Baby Bella
3 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
3 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
2 tsp salt
2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Chicken Seasoning
2 tsp Dried Basil
2 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Red Pepper flakes (optional)
2 tsp Chili Garlic paste (optional)
2 eggs
1 C milk
Olive oil, for cooking

For the topping:
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1 C breadcrumbs
1/4 C butter, melted
2 tsp paprika

Directions

In a large skillet, add oil, then add the onion and garlic, cook until browned

Add the spinach, and cook until wilted.  Add onion, garlic and spinach into a bowl and set aside.

In the skillet add a little more oil and cook the mushrooms until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a medium sized pot, add the quinoa, and 1 3/4 C water, and salt to taste, bring to boil and then simmer until all the water has evaporated.  Stirring occasionally. Add to the bowl.

Add artichokes, butter beans and chicken to the bowl (if the chicken is not already cooked, dice the breasts and cook until they are browned before adding them to the bowl)

Add all the seasonings to the bowl and mix until all the ingredients are coated

In a small bowl/pitcher, mix the eggs and milk, then pour over the ingredients in the bowl, mixing well

Add the Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheese to the bowl, and stir.

Pour all ingredients into an ovenproof baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake on 350F for 25 mins.

In a small bowl mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika, set aside.

Remove from oven and remove foil and add breadcrumb mixture, ensuring the dish is fully covered with a sprinkling of the mixture.  Return to oven and bake, uncovered for 10mins, or until golden brown on top.

Serve immediately! Enjoy!



Here is the original recipe, if you would like to try that too! Chicken florentine artichoke bake