Ok. Rough couple days around here. Coco has the croup. I am not really sure how the croup is different from bronchitis, except maybe for the high pitched barking noise she is making? But after a veeery long night and day, she is on antibiotics and I am really hoping that she will be a new girl by the end of the weekend. It is that time of year, I feel like everyone I know is so sick. Gross.

Quinoa Chicken Chili

I never know what to do around here when people are sick, I mean besides the vitamins and hand sanitizer. So I mostly just cook for people. If you are sick in my family, I make you soup. Like 5 kinds. This Quinoa Chicken Chili happened to be one of them.

Quinoa Chicken Chili

Uh, this is what I am going to call “healthy chili,” cause it really is! Quinoa, veggies, beans and lean protein- you can’t get better than that! It is so hearty and filling, I feel like it is perfect cold weather food for a really busy day. I weirdly ate it for breakfast yesterday morning and I did not need to eat again for like 6 hours. Oh, and did I mention that it is totally delicious??

Quinoa Chicken Chili

By boiling the chicken in the chicken broth and vegetables the broth turns out so flavorful and has a little body to it. Plus the texture of the beans and the little crunch of the quinoa are fantastic.

Quinoa Chicken Chili

If you are having friends over to watch the playoffs this weeks, this might be a great dish to make. Not only is it “healthy”, (which will make some of your guests grateful) but its still chili and you can certainly add tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese if you want to get a little crazy! Enjoy! (Go Hawks!!!)

 

Recipe: Quinoa Chicken Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 5 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cups butternut squash, diced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 large chicken breasts on the bone with skin
  • 3 cans white beans (cannellini)
  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • 3 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Cilantro, avocado, red chili and lime to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and sprinkle them with kosher salt. Sweat the onions, stirring often for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent and soft.
  2. Add the carrots, celery and butternut squash. Stir into the onions and oil and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add the chicken broth and the two chicken breasts and put a lid on the pot. Turn the heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes.
  4. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and set aside. Shred the chicken off the bone, and discard of the bones and skin.
  5. Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the beans and the quinoa. Add the Cumin, red pepper flakes and kosher salt to taste. Serve hot and garnish with cilantro and lime if desired.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 50 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

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Categorized: Dinner, Poultry, Recipe Index, Soup
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Ok. Rough couple days around here. Coco has the croup. I am not really sure how the croup is different from bronchitis, except maybe for the high pitched barking noise she is making? But after a veeery long night and day, she is on antibiotics and I am really hoping that she will be a new girl by the end of the weekend. It is that time of year, I feel like everyone I know is so sick. Gross.

Quinoa Chicken Chili

I never know what to do around here when people are sick, I mean besides the vitamins and hand sanitizer. So I mostly just cook for people. If you are sick in my family, I make you soup. Like 5 kinds. This Quinoa Chicken Chili happened to be one of them.

Quinoa Chicken Chili

Uh, this is what I am going to call “healthy chili,” cause it really is! Quinoa, veggies, beans and lean protein- you can’t get better than that! It is so hearty and filling, I feel like it is perfect cold weather food for a really busy day. I weirdly ate it for breakfast yesterday morning and I did not need to eat again for like 6 hours. Oh, and did I mention that it is totally delicious??

Quinoa Chicken Chili

By boiling the chicken in the chicken broth and vegetables the broth turns out so flavorful and has a little body to it. Plus the texture of the beans and the little crunch of the quinoa are fantastic.

Quinoa Chicken Chili

If you are having friends over to watch the playoffs this weeks, this might be a great dish to make. Not only is it “healthy”, (which will make some of your guests grateful) but its still chili and you can certainly add tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese if you want to get a little crazy! Enjoy! (Go Hawks!!!)

 

Recipe: Quinoa Chicken Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 5 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cups butternut squash, diced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 large chicken breasts on the bone with skin
  • 3 cans white beans (cannellini)
  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • 3 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Cilantro, avocado, red chili and lime to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and sprinkle them with kosher salt. Sweat the onions, stirring often for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent and soft.
  2. Add the carrots, celery and butternut squash. Stir into the onions and oil and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add the chicken broth and the two chicken breasts and put a lid on the pot. Turn the heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes.
  4. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and set aside. Shred the chicken off the bone, and discard of the bones and skin.
  5. Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the beans and the quinoa. Add the Cumin, red pepper flakes and kosher salt to taste. Serve hot and garnish with cilantro and lime if desired.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 50 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Recipe by Heather Christo (http://heatherchristo.com)