Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera
Ingredients
In the crockpot:
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups + 3 cups chicken broth
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, other dried herbs you like
Before serving:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
- 6 ounces pesto
- 2 1/2 cups frozen peas
- squeeze of lemon juice
- watercress, fresh parsley, chives, or any other herbs for topping
- Parmesan or Asiago cheese for topping
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the quinoa. Cut the chicken if you want – you can either cut it into small pieces or leave it whole and shred it after cooking.
- 2
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.
180 min - 3
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 – now the mixture should resemble a creamy risotto or casserole. 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.
5 min - 4
Top each serving with fresh herbs, shredded cheese, watercress, olive oil, or anything else you want.
