I gravitate toward comfort foods this time of year and find myself using the crock pot more often than not. There's nothing better than a delicious and hearty meal in the fall, especially when it's so easy to throw together! I recently made this Mexican Quinoa Casserole in the crock pot and it was so good - healthy & flavorful!
ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground chicken
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa
20-oz of taco or enchilada sauce
1 15-oz can of black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes & chiles
1 can of corn, drained
1 red pepper, cored & diced
1 green pepper, cored & diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
toppings: fresh cilantro, avocado, chopped onion, sour cream
directions
{1}
Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and onion. Cook and stir, breaking up the chicken as you go, until cooked through. Add garlic and stir. Transfer to the bottom of the crock pot.
{2}
In the crock pot, add quinoa, black beans, Rotel, corn, red pepper, green pepper, sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and 1/2 cup of water. Stir to combine, then cover and cook on high for 2 1/2-3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours, until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
{3}
Remove lid and stir. Add 1/2 cup of cheese and stir in. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top, then cover and cook on high until melted. Serve hot with desired toppings.
{recipe adapted from wellplated.com}
