Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Casserole
Published 9/19/2023
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Chicken parmesan quinoa casserole is exactly what it sounds like. Juicy, cheesy chicken parmesan on top of a quinoa marinara base!
Each time I make this quinoa casserole recipe, it gets better and better. I love that this easy meal requires only one pot and is packed with so much protein (thank you chicken and quinoa).
The base of this dish tastes just like spaghetti but is made without noodles and quinoa instead. It packs in tons of veggies – mushrooms, onion, green pepper, and quinoa. Then, on top, is simple and flavorful parmesan chicken.
What you Need for Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Casserole
In this mouth-watering quinoa bake, we combine quinoa, diced green pepper, mushrooms, and finely diced yellow onion as the base.
The sauce is a mixture of marinara, chicken broth, and minced garlic which provides a robust base for the parmesan-coated chicken breast that sits on top.
Quinoa Casserole Variations
- Vegetarian Friendly: Replace chicken with sliced eggplant; the cooking time remains the same for that fluffy quinoa.
- Gluten-Free: Opt for a gluten-free flour for the parmesan coating.
- Cheese Variety: Swap shredded parmesan for a mix of parmesan and mozzarella for a gooey twist.
- Add More Veggies: Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand into the quinoa base. Try broccoli, zucchini, or peas.
FAQ
Yes, but we have not tested any other grains. Rice could give you a similar outcome with the ratio to liquid.
Add red pepper flakes to the marinara sauce.
Absolutely, though homemade is always a flavorful upgrade.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’re freezing it, make sure to thaw it completely in the fridge before reheating. Casseroles like this one actually improve in flavor over time!
Serving Suggestions
- Pair this casserole with a crisp, green salad to round out the meal.
- A sprinkle of fresh basil or a dash of red pepper flakes can add a burst of color and flavor just before serving.
Healthy Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
- 1 medium green pepper, diced
- 1.5 cup white mushrooms, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced (~1/2 cup)
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or g/f all-purpose
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and spray a 14-inch x 10-inch (OR 9-inch x 12-inch) ceramic casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Prep veggies by dicing a whole green pepper and 1.5 cups of mushrooms. Finely dice 1/2 a yellow onion.
- Place 1 cup of uncooked quinoa on the bottom of your casserole dish and then layer on veggies. Add 3 cups of marinara sauce, 1 cup of chicken broth, and a tablespoon of minced garlic to the casserole dish and mix everything together. Set aside.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix together flour, shredded parmesan, and garlic powder. Then, crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk.
- Prep chicken breast by dipping into the egg and then into the parmesan mixture making sure everything is generously coated. Place chicken breast on top of quinoa mixture
- Finally, sprinkle on the leftover parmesan mixture and even more cheese if you desire. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover baking dish with tinfoil and then bake at 375ºF 40 minutes. Then, uncover the baking dish and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until quinoa is fully cooked.
Tips & Notes
- If you are making this recipe, a ceramic casserole dish is going to be your best bet. Ceramic dishes heat your food much hotter than a classic cake pan, so do note this with bake time! PS: here’s the one we have.
- Vegetarian option: we also tested this recipe with eggplant and it was delicious. Just slice your eggplant, hot dog-style, and follow the directions just like the chicken. You will still need to bake for the full 60 minutes because that’s how long the quinoa will take to fluff.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I make this ALL THE TIME. It’s a life saver – so easy to make and always delicious. Also perfect for work leftovers. Thanks for such a quick, easy and tasty dish! Note that I skip the mushrooms and add a red pepper instead.
I’m with you on the mushroom thing, but that’s just my personal preference! The rest of the team LOVES them.
Has anyone tried to freeze this? Or reheat it? I cooked it for a new mom and made it two days early :/
I just reheated it and it’s just as good the second time! Haven’t tried freezing/reheating it yet. We didn’t have enough leftovers for that!
What type of mushrooms do you use?
Dooooo ya think this recipe could be made in the crock-pot?
I made this for my family and everyone loved it! Love your posts and thanks for sharing!
YAY! So glad they loved it!
I don’t have a ceramic baking dish, so hopefully my pyrex will do the trick!
This was delicious! Oh my God cooking quinoa usually scares the shit out of me. Too much water in the pan and it’s snot, too little and it burns. It has such precise instructions. I do love quinoa though and it’s super healthy. 🙁 So this recipe was like finding a little diamond. It was ridiculously easy too. Thank you so much for this, I’m secretly hoping for more quinoa bake recipes in the future hehe
P. S. The crispy edges are to die for
Wow! What a great recipe. Everyone in my house loved it including my picky daughter who said she wouldn’t eat it when she first saw it. But then of course ate it all! I loved the idea of using quinoa instead of pasta. It was very light which was what I was looking for. Pasta is overrated! The only thing different I did was use a can of roasted tomatoes and cut up zucchini.
just made this for 5 people, it was quite garlic flavoured but personally i thought that complemented the other flavours, I am a 15 year old who lives a healthy lifestyle so i cook about once a week for my family, always something healthy! And this was the perfect thing for my picky family because the chicken could easily be taken to eat on its own, i loved the flavours and knowing what I’m eating is healthy makes it so much nicer. Really loved the recipe, served with some veg and finished off with some all natural greek yogurt topped with a bunch of cereals, granola and of course some apple!
Love that you’re in to cooking at such a young age <3 Glad you loved it!
I entered this recipe into myfitnesspal and got drastically different calorie numbers per serving than what is listed. If the recipe serves 6, 1 serving is 624 calories, 25.5g of fat, and 39g of carbs, and 60.4g of protein. I used 3oz chicken breasts and Newman’s Own Marinara sauce. I can’t figure out how in the world you got your numbers. Can you help clarify?