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    Home » Main Dish Recipes » Casserole Recipes

    King Ranch Chicken Quinoa Casserole

    5 from 3 votes
    Posted April 21, 2015 (last updated November 14, 2017) by Wendy Polisi

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    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This King Ranch Chicken Quinoa Casserole is a healthy twist on a classic! It is easy to make ahead and the perfect weeknight meal.King Ranch Chicken Quinoa Casserole
    Do you ever have those periods in your life where it feels like no matter how hard you work you can never get caught up? That is how I'm feeling these days.

    I have a ton of recipes setting in my WordPress dashboard to share, and yet I never seem to get around to posting.

    It's not that I don't love you guys, promise.

    I just have a lot going on. This blog, my new WendyPolisi.com website I'm constructing, my essential oil business, busy boys and a crazy toddler who needs me to kiss her at least a 1,000 times a day. (Ok, I need to kiss her that much. She'd probably be just fine with fewer kisses.)

    You know what else is going on? Everyone around here is getting so big and they seriously need to stop it.

    Yesterday it was rainy and Skye and I were out on the back porch. She ran into the grass and I needed to follow her but didn't have shoes. I suddenly realized that my 9 year olds shoes were the same size as mine and I could just put them on.

    Now this wouldn't be a big deal if I wore a dainty little size 6.

    But I'm a 9 ½. We are talking Big Foot.

    See? I told you they need to cut out this growing stuff.

    If you are similarly overwhelmed with how much you have to do and how fast time is passing, you will appreciate today's casserole. Pure comfort food with a fraction of the guilt.

    Now if I could just come up with a remedy to keep the kids little...

    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    King Ranch Chicken Quinoa Casserole

    This King Ranch Chicken Quinoa Casserole is a healthy twist on a classic! It is easy to make ahead and the perfect weeknight meal.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Gluten Free
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 311kcal
    Author: Wendy Polisi

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • 1 sweet onion chopped fine
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 7 ounces green chiles roasted, drained chopped fine
    • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
    • ½ cup quinoa flour preferably toasted
    • 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
    • ¾ cup salsa
    • 1 ½ cup milk
    • ½ cup cilantro chopped
    • 1 pound chicken shredded (or tempeh)
    • 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
    • 12 corn tortillas torn, organic
    • 1 cup 2% Greek Yogurt or sour cream, see note
    • 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese or Daiya
    • 6 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese or Daiya Mozzarella

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil.
    • Place oil in a skillet and heat to medium. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, chilies and chipotle chile powder cook for three minutes longer Whisk in the flour and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, whisking often to avoid burning. Slowly add in chicken broth, whisking until the mixture begins to boil. Stir in milk and salsa and cook at a simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
    • Spread ½ cup of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with 4 of the torn tortillas.
    • In a large bowl combine chicken, quinoa, yogurt (or sour cream) and 1 cup of cheese. Spread ½ of the mixture over the tortillas and top with half of the remaining sauce and tortillas. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Spread remaining chicken mixture and top of the tortillas and top with the remaining tortillas and then sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
    • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to rest for a few minutes and serve warm. May be made ahead and refrigerated prior to cooking or frozen for up to one month.
    • Note: When using Greek Yogurt in place of sour cream, I like to place it in a fine metal strainer set over a bowl for about an hour. (You can also place it in the fridge overnight.) This allows some of the liquid to drain off and prevents the casserole from getting runny.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 329mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 7.2mg | Calcium: 304mg | Iron: 1.5mg

     

     

    King Ranch Chicken Quinoa Casserole - This make ahead casserole recipe is easy and delicious! - WendyPolisi.com

    Filed Under:

    Casserole RecipesGluten Free RecipesMain Dish RecipesQuinoa Recipes

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    About Wendy Polisi

    Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, 5 time cookbook author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 16 & 17 and my late life princess is 9.

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      Rating




    1. Shannon Graham

      December 16, 2017 at 11:38 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious combination! A new dinner recipe for us!

      Reply
    2. Toni

      April 12, 2018 at 3:48 pm

      I'm wondering if the tortillas could just be omitted since quinoa is serving as a filler.

      Reply
      • Wendy Polisi

        April 16, 2018 at 3:56 pm

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    3. Kathleen

      August 09, 2018 at 1:35 am

      5 stars
      Hi Wendy made this King Ranch it was delicious but how much DRY quinoa equals 1 1/2 cooked? Made way too much as I put 1 1/2 dry.

      Reply
      • Wendy Polisi

        August 11, 2018 at 1:55 pm

        1/2 cup dry equals 1 1/2 cups cooked.

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply

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