Start the New Year off right with simple, delicious, and nutritious dinners that come together quickly and easily! This Chicken Fajita Quinoa Casserole is a one dish meal that the entire family will love -- and it only requires 10 minutes of prep!
Chicken Fajita Quinoa Casserole
Hi, friends! I'm excited to be visiting from The Seasoned Mom to share another quick dinner with you!
Have you stuffed yourself silly with holiday goodies this season? Between the booze, the cookies, the fudge, and the multi-course meals, I always feel like my normal routine goes out the window at this time of year and I have tighter pants to show for it! Instead of beating myself up over a couple of Christmas indulgences, I'd much rather have a game plan to get back on track easily...and without feeling deprived of the good stuff! And on the off chance that you're having one of those evenings where the burger joint is calling your name, you can either swing right through and not give it a second thought (no problem with that!), or you can pull together these simple ingredients and toss an easy dump-and-bake quinoa casserole into the oven. I'm pretty sure that this meal comes together as quickly as a Happy Meal!
An Easy Dump and Bake Chicken Casserole
The entire dinner -- bell peppers, onions, chicken, and quinoa -- goes into ONE dish raw. Add some sauce and seasoning, give it a stir, and an hour later...
a dinner masterpiece! It's full of familiar Mexican-inspired flavors that your family will love, but it's also loaded with plenty of veggies, lean protein, and whole grains for a nutritious and filling supper. The best of all worlds.
While the quinoa cooks in the oven, you can go ahead and pour yourself a glass of wine, call a friend, paint your nails, or read a magazine. Take a shower alone (gasp!), shop online, or get ahead of the game and wrap some gifts.
Whatever you decide to do, please don't give dinner a second thought! And then pat yourself on the back, because your kids are eating quinoa! I'd say that's a WIN -- and a perfect way to get back on track for the New Year ahead!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bellpepper diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes NOT drained
- 2 tbsp fajita seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup taco sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish, stir together diced chicken, uncooked quinoa, bell peppers, onion, and diced tomatoes (with juices). Sprinkle with fajita seasoning and salt; toss to coat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together water and taco sauce. Pour over quinoa mixture and stir to combine.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 1 hour. Remove the cover and check to make sure that the quinoa and chicken are both cooked through.* If necessary, stir and return to the oven for a few more minutes (or until done). Serve immediately with optional toppings.
- Note: you can prepare this dish ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Looking for other quick and easy dinners? I hope that you'll visit me at The Seasoned Mom to try some of our favorites:
10-Minute Beef Teriyaki Skillet (perfect in lettuce wraps!)
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples (a 30-minute meal!)
Sheet Pan Supper: Hawaiian Chicken
On her blog The Seasoned Mom, Blair Lonergan shares easy, quick-prep recipes for busy families. You can join her on:
Valentina | The Baking Fairy
This looks so bright, delicious and healthy! I love quinoa so I'm always looking for new ways to make it. Honestly, you had me at "10 minutes"!
Matt @ RoughEats
What a great dish when you have a busy night, or the little ones are demanding your attention!!