Cheddar chicken quinoa bake

By srumbel

An easy, healthy and cheesy chicken casserole with quinoa and cheddar cheese.
from runningtothekitchen.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• dash of red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper
• 2 cups cooked & shredded chicken (I used leftovers from a roasted chicken)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (I used a mixture of red & white)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green chili pepper, diced (optional)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese, divided

Details

Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 35mins

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8×8 baking dish.
2.In a skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil, shallot, garlic and green onions. Saute for about 2-3 minutes.
3.Add chopped tomato, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes and salt & pepper. Stir and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
4.Meanwhile, combine quinoa, chicken, chili pepper, cilantro and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
5.Add sauce to the bowl and toss to combine.
6.Transfer mixture to the baking dish.
7.Top with remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese and cover with foil.
8.Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
9.Remove from oven and garnish with additional green onions and/or cilantro.