Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera
Here's another recipe a la Pinterest. I will say that if you are someone who is concerned about texture, this may not be the recipe for you. Unfortunately, the quinoa will get a little mushy in the crockpot. It’s really hard to avoid this. Also, due to how fast everything cooks, this is a recipe that you cannot prepare before you go to work and then let it cook all day. The recipe below is for 8 servings. I would adjust accordingly since as much as I LOVE leftovers, it tastes much better on day one than it did reheated.
Ingredients (In the crockpot):
1½ cups quinoa, uncooked
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups + 3 cups chicken broth (SEE NOTES)
4-6 cloves garlic
salt and pepper, other dried herbs you like (I tossed in ½ teaspoon each dried parsley, thyme, and basil)
Before serving:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
6 ounces pesto (SEE NOTES)
2½ cups frozen peas
squeeze of lemon juice
watercress, fresh parsley, chives, or any other herbs for topping
Parmesan or Asiago cheese for topping (I thought this was a must. It sort of tasted bland without it and the cheese tied in all the ingredients).
Bacon is also an optional ingredient.
Instructions:
Rinse the quinoa. Cut the chicken if you want - you can either cut it into small pieces (it will cook faster) or leave it whole and shred it after cooking.
Place the quinoa, chicken, 4 cups broth, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and seasonings in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
When the quinoa and chicken are done, the mixture should be very thick and sticky. Add the remaining 3 cups broth or water and stir to combine (see notes) - now the mixture should resemble a creamy risotto or casserole. (NOTE: Also - don't add all the additional liquid in step three unless you think it needs it. For whatever reason, both times i made this it was SUPER sticky and it did need all three cups. But some readers who have tried the recipe said that they have not needed that much liquid. So just play it by ear - add a little liquid, stir it up, and then stop adding liquid when it seems about right in terms of consistency.)
Stir in the pesto, peas, and lemon juice and cover to heat through. While the peas are heating in the crockpot, heat the oil in a skillet - add the asparagus and sauté for 5-10 minutes, until the asparagus is lightly browned and tender-crisp. Add the asparagus back to the crockpot and stir to combine.
Top each serving with fresh herbs, shredded cheese, watercress, olive oil, or anything else you want.
Chris' rating: 3/5. Chris did not like the texture of this recipe and we both agreed that it was mushy. Being of the Asian persuasion, he also thinks that quinoa is not a great substitute for rice.