This Chicken and Zucchini Casserole is an easy and healthy dinner. Made with chicken breast, fresh zucchini, fluffy quinoa, basil pesto, and topped with melty mozzarella cheese, this casserole will become a family favourite.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time55 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken and zucchini casserole, quinoa bake, quinoa casserole
Preheat the oven to 375 °F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
Spread the rinsed quinoa in an even layer in the casserole dish. Layer the sliced zucchini evenly over the quinoa. Set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until turning translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté another minute, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Turn off the heat and stir in the pesto until dissolved. Carefully pour the mixture over the quinoa and zucchini in the casserole dish. Use a spatula to push down any quinoa that's not submerged in the liquid.
Place the cubed chicken evenly throughout the casserole dish, then top with the grated mozzarella. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Be careful transferring the dish to the oven – it's full of hot liquid!
At the end of cooking time, remove the casserole from the oven, but keep it covered. Let the quinoa steam and absorb the liquid for 10 minutes.
Optional step: After the quinoa has steamed for 10 minutes, remove the foil and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and starting to turn golden.
Serve immediately with your chosen garnishes. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
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Notes
Even if your quinoa comes pre-rinsed, don't skip the rinse – this prevents it from clumping and helps it cook evenly.