Chicken Cacciatore Quinoa Casserole
Published 10/15/2017 • Updated 4/24/2024
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Try this Chicken Cacciatore Quinoa Casserole for dinner this week. It has all of the delicious flavors and ingredients of traditional chicken cacciatore but with a healthy and protein-packed twist (insert –> quinoa!).
When Lee and I studied abroad together in Italy, we fell in love with Italian cuisine. This recipe was born out of our love for a traditional Chicken Cacciatore. We love everything about traditional chicken cacciatore but wanted to add a Fit Foodie twist to the traditional meal by making it meal-prep-friendly for an easy weeknight dinner.
This dinner is easy, accessible, and made with all kinds of veggies and ingredients that you probably have at home right now! Don’t wait. Make this Chicken Cacciatore Quinoa Bake for dinner tonight!
Featured Comment
“I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! My mom used to make me chicken cacciatore all the time growing up. It was one of my favorite dishes. Through the years I’ve acquired a gluten sensitivity & if I eat pasta I pay for it. This is the first recipe I’ve tried that compares to my mom & grandmother’s recipe. So I just want to say Thank You for this!!! We make it quite often at or house & everyone loves it!” – Megan B
What is in traditional chicken cacciatore?
Traditional Chicken Cacciatore is made with braised chicken, herbs, onions, peppers, and tomato sauce and then simmered with warm flavors until it bubbles and the chicken falls on the bone.
What You Need for Chicken Cacciatore Quinoa Casserole
- Crushed tomatoes
- Marinara sauce
- Chicken breasts
- Veggies: We added red bell pepper, green bell pepper, yellow onion, mushrooms, and black olives
- Quinoa
Can I use any kind of quinoa?
We recommend using white quinoa for this recipe. We’ve found that white quinoa cooks the best in quinoa casseroles and red quinoa can have a bite to it.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
Yes! You can assemble this casserole the night before or the morning of and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you don’t plan on eating it within that time frame, you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheating Directions
- From frozen: Thaw the frozen casserole in the refrigerator overnight. Then, microwave it for 60 seconds on high.
- From refrigerated: Microwave on high for 60 seconds.
What can I serve with quinoa casserole?
- Easy Roasted Delicata Squash
- Easy Sautéed Green Beans
- Grilled Cauliflower
- Grilled Broccoli Recipe
- Simple Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
Chicken Cacciatore Quinoa Bake
Ingredients
- 15 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
- 26 oz. jar of organic, no-sugar-added marinara sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or water
- 1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large green pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 1/3 cup black olives, sliced
- 16 oz. bonelessskinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 375ºF and spray a 9×11-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Combine crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, spices, and chicken broth in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Next, place quinoa, chicken, and veggies on the bottom of your casserole dish.
- Pour sauce mixture into the casserole dish and mix everything together.
- Cover the casserole dish with tin foil, seal well, and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove casserole dish from the oven, stir, re-cover with tin foil, and place back into the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- Let rest for around 10 minutes and then top with parmesan.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this tonight and followed the recipe and instructions exactly as written (except I had to use 9×13 pan to fit everything in and it was still to the brim). After cooking for 30 minutes and stirring and then cooking for another 30 minutes, it wasn’t close to being done. The veggies were still hard and the quinoa was too. Chicken temperature varied and measured 125-140° . Ended up cooking it for an additional 45 minutes, and still the veggies were still too crisp for my likings. Not sure what went wrong for me. The flavor is good, it just seems like it needs a longer cook time or maybe less “stuff” in the pan. Super bummed. Now I have a whole pan of veggies and chicken that I’m not sure I will keep. Loved the concept and the flavor though.
Hi Heidi! It shouldn’t matter what size pan you use. That’s so odd it didn’t work as I make this recipe personally all the time. Sometimes ovens can vary and maybe you needed to crank the heat higher. So sorry you had issues!
LOVE this recipe, and it freezes so well! So good with the fresh herbs. I make it exactly according to the recipe and it comes out perfect every time!
YAY! So glad you love it <3
I have mixed feelings about this recipe. I did mess up for sure, and that’s probably no small part of it. I couldn’t find crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce in the size called for (both were slightly smaller by a few ounces), and I made a bad decision with the mushrooms.. I went with 2 cups by weight (16 ounces) rather than volume, and I used a whole (SMALL) onion so I wouldn’t have leftovers. That resulted in a super full 9×13 dish, to the point that if I hadn’t happenstantially made another quinoa casserole somewhat recently I would not have realized I’d set myself up for boil-over in the oven. I prevented a mess with a foil-lined baking sheet set under it. The resulting casserole seemed really watered down to me, and I’m starting to suspect that’s because of the mushrooms. I recently roasted some, and I had NO IDEA there was so much moisture in them. So overdoing the mushrooms as much as I did probably sabotaged this whole thing… Maybe some day I’ll try it again, but I’m not sure. I did serve it over a mix of black and brown rice to make it more of a filling meal.
Sounds like you had quite the adventure in the kitchen with this one! It is crazy how much moisture mushrooms have and is definitely something to consider when making a casserole! Hopefully, your creation still made a healthy and tasty meal for you!
I experienced the same thing as you. I started with a 9 x 13 and it was filled to the brim. Moved it to another bigger casserole so I had room. Cooking as I write this. Just took it out at the hour mark, quinoa is not cooked. I’ve put it back in, but I’m hangry, and therefor losing my mind. So far not happy with this recipe.
Could I use couscous instead of quinoa? Or leave the couscous or quinoa to the side? Not a huge fan of quinoa and would hate to ruin a whole batch and then not like it. Looks delicious though!
Hey Tanya! Unfortunately, you can not replace couscous with the quinoa! Also, you can not make this casserole without cooking the quinoa with everything!
This was great but I had to bake it for nearly an hour longer than the recipe stated until the quinoa finally “unfurled.” I also used a 9 by 13 dish and it was super full.
Could I substitute brown rice for the quinoa?
Hey Amanda! The brown rice is going to need a longer bake time and also the liquid ratio might have to change. If anything I would use instant brown rice or normal white rice! Good luck.
Does this freeze well? Looks great!
Any tips for a vegetarian swap for the chicken?
Hi Angela! You could replace with white beans! Or nothing at all because there are so many veggies and protein from the quinoa.
Can you reheat this?
Yes, absolutely! Will stay good for up to 4 days.