Today I’m going to show you how to make this easy chicken and quinoa recipe. It’s a great fridge cleanout meal, and it can satisfy your pizza craving in a healthier way!
Sometimes you want pizza, but you just had pizza the day before and think you should make something healthier for dinner. At least that happens to me… On this particular occasion, not only did I want pizza, but I also had some ingredients leftover like sauce and mozzarella cheese. Does this easy dinner taste like pizza? Not exactly. Does it satisfy your craving for carbs, sauce, and cheese? Yes! (Well, at least it did for me.)
You might not be able to get your quinoa looking exactly like mine unless you made bacon for breakfast. (Now you know what you should have for breakfast.) I cooked up bacon for the kids in my dutch oven, and when my oldest kid saw the pot after breakfast, he said I could use the bacon drippings to cook something later. Am I raising that boy right, or what? This particular bacon was extra lean, so there wasn’t actually much fat leftover. It was just enough to help season the quinoa! Don’t worry though. You can still enjoy this meal 100% without involving any bacon. That part is completely optional.
Keep this recipe in your back pocket for when you need to clean out the fridge. It was perfect to use half a jar of pizza sauce, a couple handfuls of pizza sauce, and some expiring chicken. Maybe you have some cooked chicken, broccoli, and pasta sauce in your fridge or some other combination of ingredients that you could use for a pizza quinoa dinner of your own.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
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- olive oil
- 1/2 onion diced
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
- 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup pizza or marinara sauce (adjust amount to taste)
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Ingredients
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- Add about two teaspoons of olive oil to a sauce pan with a lid. (You don't need the lid right now.) Heat over medium-high heat, and add onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes until tender. Pour in quinoa and broth, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
- While quinoa cooks, add another couple teaspoons of olive oil to a skillet, and heat it over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir fry chicken until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Reduce heat on the chicken to medium. Stir in spinach and pizza sauce, and cook until sauce is hot and spinach is wilted. Turn off heat.
- To serve, make a bed of quinoa on a plate, and top with chicken mixture. Spread shredded cheese over each portion. (You may need to microwave each plate for about 20 seconds to get the cheese to melt completely.) Dig in!
I have some other healthy pizza alternatives too if you’re interested. Check these out!
cathy pollak says
I would lick that plate clean! So delicious sounding.
carrie @ frugal foodie mama says
Oh, this is such a great idea! I have been trying to cook with quinoa more. I actually love it’s nutty flavor , & all the whole grains & fiber that it provides. :) Love this pizza take on quinoa!
Andi Gleeson says
Thanks, Carrie! I love it too, especially because it cooks twice as fast as brown rice!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
My favorite meals end up being “clean out the refrigerator” meals. Your is inspired!
Andi Gleeson says
Thanks, Dorothy! :)
Sabrina says
Quinoa is an underrated base for a dish! I love the combination of quinoa and chicken!
Andi Gleeson says
I agree! I think it is seen as kind of trendy, but I really love it! Thank you :)
Krista says
I cannot wait to try this for dinner! Pizza in any dish is my favorite!
Andi Gleeson says
Thanks so much, Krista! I’m kind of partial to pizza too ;)
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
Fortunately I keep bacon grease in the fridge, so I can make this just like yours (because, yum!). And I contemplate pizza probably 3 or 4 times a week, so I think I need this in my repertoire.
Andi Gleeson says
You’re a smart lady. I think of pizza at least daily. I’m lucky that it’s easy to make/buy/order gluten free crust around here! Thank you, Heather :)