Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Toss gives you all the flavors of the Italian favorite but none of the guilt. Quick, easy, zesty, healthy and so tasty. The inspiration for this recipe came from one of those recipe cards that you see at the grocery store. The original recipe called for pasta and it was a skillet dinner. I thought, “hmm…I love the flavor combinations but I can make this healthier…”
I have made Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Toss for dinner twice in the last two weeks for a couple of reasons. First, it was a hit and my family really wanted me to make it again. And second, because my boyfriend decided to eat the portion that I had set aside in the refrigerator to photograph for the blog during my next photo session. (I typically can’t get to taking pictures of my food during the week with my full-time job and until this past weekend it was dark when I left work in the evenings. So I reserve portions of my meals during the week and do one big photo session on the weekends when I have time and good light 🙂 ) Yes, I did just totally throw him under the bus but he deserved it…So now I put a little note on food that I am saving for the blog and he knows that he isn’t to touch until I have taken that note off 😉
Anyways, sorry about that little rant…back to the Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Toss. Each time that I put this recipe together, I did it a little differently. In the first version, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and whole wheat pasta in place of the quinoa. So I guess that one was technically Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta Toss. It was wonderful and everyone really enjoyed it 🙂
When I went to make it the second time, I wanted to switch it up a bit. We had some all-white-meat lean ground chicken in the freezer but we were out of boneless skinless chicken breasts, so I decided to go with the ground chicken. I also wanted to bump up the “healthy” factor to make me feel better about a little splurge over the weekend (hey, we all have them from time to time, right?). So I swapped the pasta for quinoa! Winner, winner, chicken dinner (pun intended)!! That version was great too!
Let’s chat for a moment about quinoa. Quinoa is a super food! It is the only grain that I know that is also a complete protein. Meaning that it supplies you with all nine of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for daily function. It is also very high in fiber which helps to lower cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure levels. Those three factors all reduce your over-all risk factor for diabetes. The fiber and protein content help to keep you fuller for longer. It is high in iron which helps your red blood cells, improves brain function, and regulates body temperature. The iron combined with the B2 in quinoa also increases metabolism. I also love that it is very versatile and absorbs the flavors of whatever you put with it. Quinoa really is an amazing food to add to your diet.
- 1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 lb. ground chicken breasts (or boneless skinless chicken breasts)
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained (or fresh tomatoes, chopped)
- ¼ cup zesty italian dressing
- ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp. fresh spicy oregano
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- Spray the bowl of a slow cooker with misted olive oil (or non-stick cooking spray) or place of slow cooker liner inside of it.
- Add onion, garlic to the bottom of the bowl.
- Add chicken, tomato paste, tomatoes, zesty italian dressing, chicken broth, spicy oregano and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
- Prepare the quinoa by combining the water and quinoa in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Toss the cooked quinoa and parmesan cheese with the cooked chicken mixture.
[…] Breakfast Bites. I love this site and actually have had one of my recipes featured on the site: Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Toss. I actually have two more recipes from Cooking Quinoa that I will be sharing with you later on […]