Chicken Quinoa Casserole with Broccoli

This was one of the other recipes I wanted to try for my Secret Recipe Club post this month, but I chose the Tuna Enchiladas, which I happen to have made for dinner again tonight.  Only this time I used a can of salmon instead of the tuna.  So good! My SRC recipes often become favorites around here.

I made this casserole a week or so ago, and I see why Cathleen called it her new favorite casserole.  It is excellent!  I'd tried quinoa a time or two in the past, but I hadn't really been impressed.  But this?  This casserole makes me love it.  There's just something about the texture of the quinoa and all the flavors.  Everything goes together so well.  You should definitely try this.  Soon.

A little melted cheese on top doesn't hurt, either.

Chicken Quinoa Casserole with Broccoli
adapted from A Taste of Madness

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. chicken seasoning (I used Canadian Chicken seasoning)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed (I used 1/2 red quinoa and 1/2 white)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in thin strips
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 3 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup hot water, from steaming broccoli

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. In a large nonstick pan (preferably oven-safe), bring the chicken broth to a low boil. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, chicken seasoning and flour until fully combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the boiling liquid and mix until smooth and bubbly.
3. Stir in 1 cup water and the quinoa. Place the chicken strips over the quinoa mixture and sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. (If your pan isn't oven safe at 400˚, pour the mixture into a greased 13x9" baking dish before adding the chicken.)
4. While the casserole is in the oven, steam the broccoli until tender. Set broccoli aside and reserve 1 cup of the hot water.
5. Remove the casserole from the oven, and add the broccoli and up to 1 cup of the hot water until the consistency is creamy and can be easily stirred in the pan. Sprinkle with the cheese, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

I recently got a gorgeous ceramic nonstick pan that worked perfectly for this.  I figured why use a separate baking dish if I don't have to?  Fewer dishes, right?  Even though I really don't mind washing dishes...

 

I'm not exactly sure what chicken seasoning the recipe referred to, so I used some Weber Canadian Chicken seasoning.  I visited their webpage but couldn't find it listed, so I'm not sure if it's available anymore or not, but it's similar to this Montreal Chicken seasoning. The flavor was really good, and now I'm thinking of ways to use this seasoning for things besides just grilling chicken.  I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of it before.

 

I will definitely be making this again.  I'm now wondering how it would turn out to mix everything up and put it all in the crockpot instead of baking it.  I'm thinking of using some chopped cooked chicken and just mixing in a 16-oz. bag of frozen chopped broccoli, and then letting it all cook together.  I think it would be great for a potluck.

Chicken, Potatoes, and Broccoli in Creamy Mustard Sauce

I've been making this occasionally for several years. It's easy, creamy, and flavorful, and cooks in one skillet.  That makes it pretty much perfect in my book.

Chicken, Potatoes, and Broccoli in Creamy Mustard Sauce
adapted from American Heart Association One Dish Meals

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 a medium onion, diced
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 4 medium red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
• 1 cup chicken broth
•  16-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook for a couple minutes before adding chicken.  Cook chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, until browned, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in potatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced.
3. Stir in the broccoli.  Simmer, covered for 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender crisp.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until mixture is warmed through and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serves 4 

I don't always have red potatoes, so I just use ordinary Russets which I usually peel.  I also sometimes use a spicy mustard instead of the Dijon.  Either way, it turns out really good.

Of course, since it was a recipe from an American Heart Association cookbook, the original recipe called for low sodium chicken broth and reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup.  I don't buy those and am not convinced they're any 'healthier' than the regular kind, so I don't use them.  Feel free to substitute the kind you usually use.

(They Can Be Spicy) Tuna Enchiladas

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was A Taste of Madness.  Canadian math nerd Cathleen is a huge fan of dessert, recipes that take 30 minutes or less to make, and, judging from her breakfast recipe list, oatmeal.  I will definitely be checking out some of her oatmeal variations, because I love a warm comforting bowl of oatmeal on a cold winter morning.  She and her boyfriend are also lovers of all things spicy, so I know I would love a lot of Cathleen's recipes - if only my husband could handle a bit more heat in his food.  I may have to try some of these recipes just for me...

I am most definitely trying this Tabasco Popcorn!  Oh, yum.  Some of the other not quite so spicy recipes that caught my eye were:

• Ginger Molasses Cookies
• Chicken, Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole
• Chickpea Salad Wrap 

They all look incredible, but these tuna enchiladas just had to be made.

This is one of those super simple and quick meals Cathleen loves - and really, who doesn't love fast and easy?  And really tasty.  (Even though I didn't use as much jalapeno)

(They Can Be Spicy) Tuna Enchiladas
from A Taste of Madness

Ingredients:

• 2 cans tuna, drained
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 cup prepared salsa, divided
• 1/2 a jalapeno, diced (use the whole pepper if you like it spicy)
• 6 soft corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.
2. In a skillet, mix together the tuna, 1 cup mozzarella, 2/3 cups salsa, and the jalapeno. Heat on medium until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly.
3. Spoon the tuna mixture into the tortillas, roll up and place in baking dish.
4. Top with the remaining salsa and cheese.  Bake 25-30 minutes, until cheese is melted.
5. Alternate Directions: Place under a broiler for around 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

I put these together a bit before I wanted to serve dinner, so I had them ready to pop into the oven when my husband came home from work.  If you're just putting them together and popping them straight into the oven, you can heat them under the broiler for a few minutes like Cathleen does, and they'll be just fine.  I liked the additional time of baking to warm everything back up again and also crisp the sides a bit. I love slightly crunchy corn tortillas.  It just depends on your preference and time available.

I only used a portion of the jalapeno, and I put more in mine than in my husband's - I just added about half of the diced jalapeno to the tuna mixture, then after I rolled his up, I added the rest of the chopped jalapeno before rolling mine, reserving some to throw on top so we could tell the difference.  They really weren't spicy at all, but they had a really great flavor.  I will definitely be making these again.  It should make us all happy, including the cats.  They always come begging when I open a can of tuna, because they love to drink the water I drain off.

The only problem with this recipe was that I ate too much.  We cleaned that dish out.

An InLinkz Link-up

Lentil Garlic Soup

I thought for sure I had posted this recipe already, but when I started looking for it so I could make this soup, I realized it wasn't here.  Thankfully I printed the recipe in 2001, so I was still able to make soup.  Yes, I've been making this soup for a few years now.

Lentil Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 T olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 to 4 cups water, to bring total liquid to 8 cups
• 16 oz. bag lentils, rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Heat oil in 5-quart pan.  Add onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft, stirring frequently.  Add salt and cumin and cook until fragrant.
2. Add broth, water, and lentils; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.  Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more.
3. Serve with lemon wedges and crackers.

I really like this soup.  It's simple and tasty.  I especially like it after it's been cooled and then reheated.  It gets thicker and better each time.

Definitely do not forget the lemon wedges.  They add the perfect finishing touch to the soup.  Just squeeze the juice over your soup and drop the wedge in.  So good!

Tuscan Chicken Soup

When I saw the recipe for Tuscan Chicken Stew on South Your Mouth, I knew I had to try it.  It just looked so good.   Of course, I didn't quite follow the original recipe, but I did use basically the same ingredients, and I kept all the seasonings the same.  I think it turned out great.

This soup is sure to become a favorite around here. I will definitely be making it again. It's super flavorful and easy to make.

Tuscan Chicken Soup
adapted from South Your Mouth

 Ingredients:

• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 carrots, diced
• 5 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 15-oz. can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven (6 quart); add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add onion, garlic, and celery; cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are soft, stirring frequently.  Add seasonings and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.  Stir in carrots, potatoes, beans, and tomatoes and then add broth, water and bay leaf.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes with lid slightly cracked, stirring occasionally.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Cook a few minutes longer if needed, until carrots and potatoes are done.

I made this soup one day and then reheated it the next.  I think all soups get better when you reheat them, and some absolutely have to be made a day before you want to eat it.  I think this one would be good either way.   I made fresh cornbread to go with the soup, which was really good.  It would also be good with some nice crusty bread.

I used the1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, and the soup had a nice kick to it.  My husband, who does not like his food very spicy at all, didn't complain and really liked the soup, but if you don't like a lot of spice you'll probably want to cut the measurement down to 1/4 tsp. - at least the first time.