Creamy Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole

We made this delicious recipe the other night for dinner. The entire family enjoyed it….even our four year old. We have found that the trick with a new recipe is to get her to help! Not only does she love helping in the kitchen, but then she is excited to eat her creation!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup milk (I used skim)
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ½ cup flour
• 2 cups water, divided
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• ¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon (optional… sort of)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons seasoning (like Emeril’s Essence (my recipe is here) or any basic blend you like)
• ¼ cup shredded Gruyere cheese (any kind will work)
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Sauce: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and generously grease a 9×13 baking dish (seriously, be generous because it really really sticks to the sides). Bríng the chícken broth and ½ cup mílk to a low boil in a saucepan. Whisk the other ½ cup milk wíth 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. 
3. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and lay the chicken breasts strips over the top of the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with the seasoning. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
   
   
4. 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.
5. Bake: Remove the casserole from the oven, check the mixture by stirring it around in the pan, and if needed, cover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. When the quinoa and chicken are cooked, 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, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or just long enough to melt the cheese.