Italian Chicken Sausage Quinoa Casserole
Published 4/16/2020 • Updated 8/23/2022
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Note: This recipe was formerly called: Sun-Dried Tomato, Kale, and Chicken Sausage Quinoa Bake.
There really is nothing better than throwing everything into a casserole dish raw and baking it to perfection in under 60 minutes!
This Chicken Sausage Quinoa bake packs in the Italian flavors while also packing in veggies and protein. You need minimal ingredients for a maximum amount of flavor!
Key Ingredients
- Quinoa – uncooked red or white quinoa will work just fine!
- Broth/Water – any kind of broth or water is perfect for this.
- Chicken Sausage – we used pre-cooked chicken sausage. Choose your favorite flavor!
- Onion – Adds the perfect amount of flavor.
- Kale – Spinach would also work!
- Sun-Dred Tomatoes – make sure to use the kind that is jarred in olive oil for maximum flavor.
Can you use uncooked sausage?
The short answer here is YES. If you are using uncooked sausage, we suggest that you still slice it into chunks so that it cooks easier. We also recommend you increase the cook-time to a full 60 minutes to ensure your sausage is fully cooked.Can you use precooked quinoa?
We don’t recommend using precooked quinoa as the quinoa to liquid ratio would change!How to make this vegetarian/vegan?
To make this dish vegan/vegetarian, simply remove the chicken sausage and replace it for a different protein such as tofu or garbanzo beans.
Baking Instructions
Once you have everything in your casserole dish, make sure that the veggies and quinoa are pressed into the liquid. Place a piece of tin foil over the casserole dish and bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until the quinoa is fully cooked. Serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can get strategic and separate out the 6 servings into meal prep containers for an easy grab-and-go lunch!
More Quinoa Casserole Recipes
- Mexican Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole
- Quinoa Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
- Healthy Cashew Chicken Quinoa Bake
- Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Casserole
- ALL Quinoa Casseroles
Italian Chicken Sausage Quinoa Casserole
This healthy, superfood-packed dinner only requires 1 dish and 60 minutes of your time. No need to pre-cook the quinoa or sauté any veggies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups chicken broth, or any kind of broth
- 2 cups chopped kale, packed
- 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes, we used the kind in olive oil
- 1/4 large red onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, I used the olive oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 fully-cooked chicken sausages, sliced (use your favorite!)
Optional
- fresh basil
- parmesan cheese
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 375ºF. Then, spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place quinoa and chicken broth on the bottom of your casserole dish.
- Then, prep kale by de-stalking and chopping into bite-sized pieces. Pack kale into your 1 cup measuring cup by pressing it down. Add 2 cups into the casserole dish.
- Use a fork to remove 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes from the jar and add to the casserole dish.
- Finely dice 1/4 large red onion and add that to the dish as well.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then drizzle on about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pro tip: you can use olive oil straight from the sun-dried tomato jar!
- Mix together everything in the casserole dish so that that’s it’s evenly spread out. Use your hands to press the veggies down to submerge it into the broth.
- Finally, slice 5 fully-cooked chicken sausages into bite-sized pieces and spread evenly on top of casserole.
- Cover casserole dish with a piece of tin foil and bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Remove tin foil after 30 minutes and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until quinoa is fully cooked.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Tips & Notes
- This recipe was slightly updated on 3/31/2020. The only thing that changed was the baking instructions!
Nutrition
Calories: 318 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Protein: 22 g, Fat: 11 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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One of my favorite recipes I’ve ever made!!! So delicious, healthy, and flavorful. We added sweet potatoes like you suggested on your Insta story, and it put it over the top! Would 100% recommend permanently adding sweet potatoes to this recipe. Can’t wait to make it again!
I 100% agree about this recipe. It’s so simple, yet so flavorful!
If adding sweet potatoes, when do you add them in? Raw to the dish and then cook as instructed? Or cooked separately and added to dish once done cooking?
Thank you.
Hi Tess, we haven’t tested this recipe with sweet potatoes, so I’d recommend cooking separately and then mixing in when you serve. Hope this helps!
Thank you!! Trying this tonight!
I found your site when looking for a macro friendly buffalo chicken chili – I made that and it was amazing so I can back for a few things this week. We had the hearty vegetable soup and tonight I made the quinoa chicken sausage back – they are all so flavorful and so easy to make! I can’t wait to try more!
So glad you’re loving all of our recipes!
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Would you be able to use rice instead of quinoa?
If you’re going to try to use rice, I would use instant rice! I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not!
Delicious and easy. I love a recipe with minimal ingredients. This was, cheap, fast and full flavor! Will be a go to weekly dinner
It’s SOOOO good!
Would this be freezable at all?
I don’t’ see why not!
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In your last recipe it said 1 tsp garlic salt, not garlic powder. And it also called for baking 1 hr at 350 degrees, uncovered. Just curious, why did you decide to change it. It was delicious just as it was!
Hi! We updated the recipe to be more consistent with our other quinoa casseroles. You can totally sub garlic salt instead of powder!
How would I adjust if using raw sausages? Cook them first or can they be thrown in with everything else raw?
I actually think they can be thrown in raw. You may want to bake the casserole for a full 60 minutes, but slice them and put them on top raw!
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