Tex Mex Chicken Quinoa

I decided to get a little inventive last night with this dish.  If you compare this dish to the Cheesy Quinoa recipe I posted earlier, you'll notice they are very similar.  Well that's because I took that recipe and modified it to become a one dish meal with a new flavor.  I must say it turned out really well!  The quinoa adds a nice texture and using chicken broth or bouillon to cook it instead of plain water helps add a little flavor.  All these measurements are approximate....if you want more of something, add it!  Don't like jalapenos??  Just leave 'em out! :-)  You can also add additional toppings when serving; I only added green onions, but you could definitely add stuff like hot sauce, salsa, sour cream, etc.  Hubby liked it too, and he's never tried quinoa before!  Here is a picture of my serving, along with the recipe.  Enjoy and happy cooking! :-)

Ingredients:

·         1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

·         1 cup diced onion

·         2-3 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 ½ tsp diced jalapeno peppers

·         2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

·         1 cup black beans

·         1 cup whole kernel corn

·         1 can Rotel, drained

·         1 tsp ground cumin

·         Salt to taste

·         2 large eggs

·         ½ cup non-fat milk

·         1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese

·         Optional – panko bread crumbs for topping

·         Optional Toppings – salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, green onions

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350* F.

2.      Cook quinoa to package instructions (using chicken broth or bouillon instead of water) until fully cooked, about 15 minutes.  While quinoa is cooking, sauté onions in olive oil until tender (about 8 minutes).  Add garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking about another minute. 

3.      In medium bowl, combine chicken, black beans, corn, and rotel.  Add salt to taste and ground cumin, stirring to combine.

4.      Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl.  Stir in cheese, then add quinoa, and onion mixture.  Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt.  Add chicken mixture and stir to combine.

5.      Coat 9 x 13 inch dish with cooking spray.  Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.  If using Panko, add now and bake 30-35 minutes, until bread crumbs are browned.