Light Asparagus, Chicken Quinoa Bake is healthy and flavorful dinner casserole made with leeks, bacon and sharp white cheddar cheese.
Healthy Quinoa Bake
Light Asparagus, Chicken Quinoa Bake is filled with leeks, bacon, asparagus and extra sharp white cheddar for a flavor packed dinner that is so good, you won’t believe it is lightened up! In addition to all the flavorful components, it is packed with lean chicken and the protein packed super food, quinoa. Along with a homemade sauce, you get a hearty meal heavy on nutrients and light on fat. There are no cans of processed cream soups in this recipe!
Quinoa Bake Recipe
This meal makes a great make-ahead dinner option. Mix it up, toss it in the refrigerator the night before and you can throw it in the oven when you get home from work the next day. You will have dinner on the table in less than an hour and more time to spend with your family after work! Whether you are bringing a meal to a friend or prepping dinner for your spouse when you have to work late, this dinner makes a complete healthy meal everyone will love.
Chicken & Quinoa Bake
Another reason I love this Light Asparagus, Chicken Quinoa Bake so much, is that you can easily change up the casserole by swapping out a few ingredients. Instead of asparagus, try out some broccoli or spinach and give goat cheese or Gruyere a try for a little variety in flavor. I promise you, that after you make this once, you will want to make it again and again!
Quinoa bakes are a healthy and delicious alternative to your Mom’s casseroles, but provide the same comforting meal. This Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bake and Pizza Stuffed Chicken Quinoa Bake are both great takes on this lightened up version of hotdish.
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Light Asparagus, Chicken Quinoa Bake
Ingredients
- 1 c. chicken broth
- 2 c. milk
- 1/2 c. Masa corn flour you can substitute all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Montreal Chicken seasoning
- 3/4 c. uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 lb. chicken cut in small strips
- 1/2 c. cooked bacon crumbled
- 1/2 c. leeks chopped
- 1 1/2 c. asparagus cut in 2" pieces
- 2/3 c. extra sharp white cheddar shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, whisk together the chicken broth and flour until smooth and cook for a minute. Add the milk and garlic seasoning and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until thickened.
- In a large bowl, fold together the sauce with the quinoa, chicken, bacon, leeks and asparagus and pour into a 10"x10" sprayed baking dish. Top with the shredded cheese and bake for 40-50 minutes covered until the quinoa is sprouted and the chicken is no longer pink. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
More healthy dinner ideas!
Light BBQ Chicken, Cheddar & Pineapple Tostadas
Jalapeno Cornbread & Chicken Verde Bake
The LIGHT ASPARAGUS, CHICKEN & QUINOA BAKE was soo delicious! I love finding my dinner meals on Krafted Koch, and it’s even a plus when they are healthy! Thanks!!!
This is so delicious!! Am making again tonight. Was good the next day as well. Don’t skip any ingredients. Everything works together so well. The only thing I did differently was cook the chicken in a cast iron skillet with the leeks and asparagus….just to brown the chicken a little. I don’t like putting raw chicken in a cooked sauce and veggies. Turned out great!!!
I’m so glad you liked it Donna, thanks for sharing!
Could this be done in the crock pot?
I Katie, I haven’t tried this in my Crock Pot. I would think it would cook through fine, but my concern would be that the creamier base might burn/stick on the outsides. You would also want to add a bit more liquid for the longer cooking time in a Crock Pot. If you do try it, be sure and let us know your results!
I don’t have Masa corn flour and none is sold where I live. Can I use regular flour? What would be a good more natural substitute for the Roasted Garlic Montreal Chicken seasoning? I hate buying seasonings that are usually loaded with sodium and preservatives. Rather use fresh or dried herbs/spices.
Hi Susan, all-purpose flour will work fine as a substitute for the Masa. As for the seasoning, I would use a couple teaspoons of diced fresh garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper and a teaspoon of paprika as a substitute for the Montreal seasoning.
I put this together Sunday night and cooked Monday night for dinner. It was delish! I did make a couple of changes. I cooked the chicken in a tablespoon of olive oil and then drained it on a paper towel prior to assembly. I didn’t have leeks so I used green onions. Also I used a tablespoon of regular Montreal chicken seasoning and a tablespoon of garlic powder. I did not have masa corn flour, but a google search suggested using cornmeal instead. I was scared, but it turned out great. I increased the chicken broth by 1/2 cup, somehow that made me feel better about the corn meal.
Thanks for the great recipe. This is definitely staying in our recipe rotation!
Hey Heather, I am so glad the recipe and your modifications worked out for you and that you enjoyed it!
I followed the directions and it came out all soupy, am i doing something wrong?
Hi Camille, sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Did the quinoa all come out done, meaning little sprouts came out of each grain? If not, this probably means it needs more cooking time and as the quinoa cooks, it will absorb some of the liquid.
I followed the directions as well and mine came out soupy too! It looked great going into the pan (sauce turned out fine, added all ingredients in mixing bowl, etc.). Then after 40 min in the oven SOUP! I tried uncovering the baking dish and baking it for a while longer, but that only marginally helped the situation.
The only reasons I can think of that it would be coming out soupy is that either cooked quinoa was added instead of uncooked or that the sauce wasn’t cooked long enough allowing it to thicken?
This was awesome! I used whole wheat flour and since I didn’t have the seasoning I used one tsp of paprika and one tsp of minced garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper as you suggested. Next time I will add mushrooms. This is a winner!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and that the alternative seasonings worked out great!
I’ve made this before and it is DELICIOUS. Could I use almond milk instead of regular milk in the future?
I am so glad you liked the dish Ellen! I have never made it with almond milk, but I imagine it would work just fine. Keep in mind that almond milk has a stronger flavor than regular milk, so that will alter the flavor slightly. Be sure to let us know how it turns out if you do try it with almond milk!
This was an interesting dish with quinoa…a little on the goopy side. After cooking for 40 minutes covered, the quinoa still had not sprouted, I uncovered and left it in the oven for another 10 minutes. Once I removed from the oven I let it set for another 10 minutes before serving. It seemed to be to get better as it cooled….I don’t think I would make this again…sorry 🙁 I guess I’m not used to serving quinoa like this.
I agree with the comments that this was soupy. I cooked for 50 minutes and even drained a lot of the liquid out of the baking dish and tried cooking it a little longer but still soupy. The flavors were good but I don’t think I’ll be making this again. Maybe something added to it that can absorb the liquid better than the quinoa would work…just not sure what that would be.
Can the quinoa be cooked already – I have a bunch already cooked that I’d rather use that cook more…. Just curious.
Hi Amy, yes, you should be able to adapt the recipe to add cooked quinoa. First of all reduce the liquid (milk and chicken broth) from 3 cups to 1 1/2 cups. I would also cook the chicken before adding it to the casserole in this case as well as giving the leeks a quick saute. Fold everything, including the cooked quinoa and chicken together and bake until warmed through, 20-30 minutes.
I haven’t tried it this way before, but I would estimate that it should come out very similar. Be sure to stop back and let us know how it turns out!
Would making a bit of a roux first fix the soupy problem? Instead of adding 1/2 cup of flour could it 1 T olive oil and 1T flour to make a thin sauce so that the quinoa still has some liquid to absorb without the cassarole drying out?
The chicken broth, milk and flour are essentially doing the same thing. It is important to allow that to thicken and you won’t have a soupy mixture. I believe that is the problem some people are running in to.
I’ve already made this 4 times because it’s so good! I’ve substituted various veggies for the asparagus (broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage on the other 3 occasions) and I’ve substituted the bacon for Italian sausage and even a seasoned burger patty and they always came out great! It is so versatile I even added some pesto to the sauce and it turned out awesome as well. Picky toddlers also gobble it up =) I am SOO happy I found this recipe.
Thanks Tanya, I am so glad you have enjoyed it and been able to put your own spin on it as well!
I made this casserole this evening and it was okay, but it didn’t look like the picture accompanying this recipe. For one thing, when the dish is covered, the cheese melts in the quinoa and it doesn’t look anywhere near as appetizing as it does here. I also didn’t like the texture for the same reasons given above, but I have to own up to having left 1/4 c. of the flour out because I was afraid it would taste bland. I also think I’d stir fry the chicken and veggies in a little olive oil. I think it would add to the taste, texture and be more pleasing to the eye.
I just made this and put it in the over! I think I added a little too much milk but it looks delicious and I can’t wait to bite in!!
This was an amazing dinner! My husband is a very picky eater, so I was nervous to try this. But there was hardly any left by the end of the evening! There were 3 of us eating, and everyone raved! I’m making it again this week…by request from my husband! 🙂 I’m also pleased to find so many other good recipes on this site. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much Shaundra, I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed it!!!
I am bummed, I made this tonight and it did not turn out well. I followed all the directions but it was still soupy and bland.
Hi Ligita, sorry to hear you weren’t a fan. Personally, I find it anything but bland with bacon, leeks, roasted garlic seasoning and sharp white cheddar cheese! Everyone has different tastes though, so thanks for your feedback.
This casserole was amazing and my boyfriend loved it! After thickening the sauce I was afraid there wasn’t going to enough to fully cook the quinoa, but I was afraid for nothing. Perfect, perfect, perfect!
Also, I used the all purpose flour substitute and didn’t have leeks or onions. I used onion powder as a sub.
Glad it worked out great for you and you and your boyfriend enjoyed it!
Looking forward to trying this, added it to this week’s dinner lineup! I am curious, where did you get that beautiful purple baking dish?
I believe it was from TJ MAXX a year ago.
Thank you 🙂
Sooooo good! I added fresh garlic, spinach, and cauliflower I had in the fridge and left out the bacon because we don’t eat pork. I also decided to brown the chicken (an extra cup. less carbs, more meals) before hand with 1/4 of a large onion and a sprinkle of pepper. My picky husband even loved it! Thank you for the recipe, its definitely one to remember! 🙂
So glad you liked it and your healthy alterations sound great!
This is was very delicious. Thank you for sharing it. I did English tea peas for my veggie. I also browned my chicken with my leeks and peas. I also used cheddar cheese.
Noelle
I made this last night and thought it was quite tasty. I used a 9×13 pan as I didn’t have the 10×10 and maybe I should have adjusted the cooking time as it was almost burnt when I pulled it out. I definitely had the opposite problem as all the people saying it was soupy, I was afraid after seeing it that it would be too dry but it was just right. I will be making again.
I’m so glad to hear it worked out for you Katie!
Hi! I made this last night and my family loved it! Including my VERY picky 9 year old. I baked it covered for 40 minutes, then uncovered for 10, then broiled uncovered for a few minutes to brown the top. It was delicious! I used whole wheat flour instead of white and it turned out just fine.
After assembling, could you then stick it in the freezer to be cooked when ever?
I have never tried that, but I think I would bake it before freezing then freeze and reheat with a little extra liquid.
Hi……do you think there is a way to adapt this with already cooked quinoa? I have left over and trying to find recipes I could use it up in
Hi Kera, I haven’t personally tried it, but it should work if you pre-cook the chicken and saute the leeks, then cut the liquids and flour for the sauce in half. Bake it for 20-30 minutes to warm it through. Good luck!
Hi……do you think this would work with already cooked quinoa some how? I have left over cooked quinoa and I’m trying to figure other recipies I could use it in….thanks
I love pasta bakes and this healthier version sounds amazing! Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and I don’t see it in dishes very often so that made me very happy! I included it in my latest post “Kick Start The New Year #2: 15 Healthy Dinners”.
This was absolutely delicious!! Thanks for sharing!!!
This is too good, very delicious ad healthy. Thanks.
Made the dish tonight and loved it. My husband that is picky loved it too. I made it as directed but missed where I was supposed to cover it. Probably because I was destracted by a child. When I had 15 minutes left is when I realized. Even after over cooking it a bit it still tasted very yummy. Thank you, I will be making it again.
Happy to hear you loved it and that your picky husband did too! I can’t imagine what my cooking would turn out like if I had children to distract me. 🙂
Followed the directions and it came out great! Delicious flavor and the chicken and asparagus were cooked perfectly. Definitely going to make this again
Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Followed exactly, except cooking. Did not cover first half, and used a 9×13. Cooked absolutely perfectly in 35-40 minutes, not soupy at all! Next time will add brocolli and fresh herbs, but will definitely make again! Easy and tasty.
Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
I just made your recipe and it is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for sharing – my husband who is allergic to anything healthy is having his second helping!
Haha that makes me so happy to hear Angela!
I made this exactly per the recipe and it came out great! I did leave it uncovered for half the cooking time, then covered. I was a little squeemish about the chicken being raw, but it turned out perfectly! Great quick, healthy recipe.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Rebecca!
Wow. this looks delish with quinoa. thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Anna, it is a great healthy dish!
I sure wish you that put “cooked” or “raw” chicken in the ingredients list. I think I screwed my casserole up using raw. I wasn’t thinking. I also used millet instead of quinoa and it was a total disaster. Such a waste
Hi Elizabeth, it should have been raw chicken cut in small strips which will fully cook in the 40-50 minutes while it bakes. As for the millet, I’ve never cooked with it so I can’t speak to that substitution. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
This is so so good!!!
I make this all the time & it turns out fabulous every time! I usually use turkey bacon but follow the rest of the recipe exactly. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Thrilled that you enjoy it so often!
this is one of my go-to recipes. I’ve used tons of different types of veggies and cheese and it’s turned out great. it’s really amazing.
Happy to hear you have been able to adapt it with different ingredients!
I made this last night and it was great. I used regular flour and onions because that’s what I had. I also added mushrooms. It turned out great! Will definitely make it again! It wasn’t soupy at all but I never covered it while baking