This one pot chicken and quinoa meal is my new go to. I really enjoy cooking, but I despise dishes. Only having one pot to wash, plus a few utensils or measuring cups is a win in my book. When I got a dutch oven for Christmas, I went on the hunt for even more one pot meals. However, most of them aren’t macro friendly or require all day to simmer, so I created my own.
The ingredients in this recipe might be simple, but this recipe is packed with flavor. It’s the perfect warm comfort meal for a freezing cold winter night, just lightened up.
The other good thing about this recipe is that it makes a lot. I like to make it on Sunday because there is plenty left for a few days of lunches. The other thing I like about this recipe is that it’s relatively cheap. I’ve talked recently about wanting to reduce our grocery budget and this meal checks all the boxes.
Typically, I have all of these ingredients on hand, which also makes it a winner. It’s also flexible if you need to swap ingredients. Quinoa is one thing everyone in my family eats. I have a terrible track record of cooking rice, but I can cook quinoa. I’ve also made this recipe with rice. White rice will cook much faster if time is an issue. Brown rice will take slightly longer, but would still be delicious. I’ve also used chicken thighs when I didn’t have chicken breasts on hand.
This one pot chicken and quinoa recipe isn’t without its pitfalls. Although my kids eat each of these ingredients separately, they will not eat them mixed together. Isla will take a few bites if coerced, but it’s not without a fight. Nolan flat out refuses. Whatever. You win some, you lose some, right?
One Pot Chicken & Quinoa
This easy one pot meal is packed with flavor and is perfect for a weeknight.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 med onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay (optional)
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups quinoa (or grain of choice)
- 4-6 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and butter in a dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, add in onion and carrots. Saute until the onions are slightly translucent.
- Add chopped chicken breasts. Add salt and pepper and stir occasionally until chicken is cooked through.
- If using wine- increase heat to high and add 1 cup of white wine. Stir well until the wine is evaporated and cooked down. If not using wine, skip to step 4.
- Add chicken stock to pot and stir in rice, bay leaf, and garlic. If you really like garlic (and what's not to like?!), you can trim the ends of a head of garlic and stick it in the rice, head down. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and cover with lid. Cook until your grain is fully cooked, about 15 minutes.
- Remove garlic head if used. Stir in parsley and parmesan. Dish should be creamy.
Notes
I chose quinoa for this recipe, but white or brown rice would also work well. Adjust cook times accordingly.
The recipe does call for white wine. I chose to omit it this time because I didn’t have a bottle open, and I didn’t want to open a new one and be tempted to finish it. You know, in the name of stopping food waste. It does add a distinct flavor to the dish, but you won’t miss anything by not having it. It’s still cheesy, creamy and delicious without it.
If you make it, be sure to share a picture with us on Instagram! I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Looking for more weeknight recipes? Try No Bean Turkey Quinoa Chili or Slow Cooker Tri Tip.
Phil says
The recipe doesn’t actually say when to put in the bay leaves.
I’m trying it now, I browned the chicken first.
Heather says
Thanks for catching that! I always add it when I add in the chicken broth so it can all simmer together.