Chicken Quinoa Stew Recipe | Dairy Farmers of Manitoba

Chicken Quinoa Stew

PREP TIME

COOK TIME

Serving Size

This stew is similar to a risotto but is made with protein-rich quinoa, a quick-cooking grain-like seed. Combined with chicken, milk, and plenty of veggies, you get all four good groups in one pot and it’s truly delicious – a must-try recipe, indeed!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter for cooking
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each, dried thyme and basil
salt and pepper
1 lb (500 g) boneless skinless chicken or turkey, cut into 1-1/2 inch (3.5 cm) chunks
1 cup (250 mL) quinoa, rinsed
2 Tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour or quinoa flour
2 cups (500 mL) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (500 ml) milk, heated until steaming
1 cup (250 mL) frozen green peas, thawed
1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh tomatoes or drained canned diced tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Canadian Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

1.	In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté carrots, garlic, onion, thyme, basil, and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of salt and pepper, for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add chicken and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until cooked. Stir in quinoa.
2.	Whisk flour into the broth and stir into the pot; bring to simmer, stirring often. Stir in hot milk. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring once, for about 20 minutes until quinoa is almost tender (reduce heat to low, if necessary, to prevent boiling over).
3.	Stir in peas and tomatoes; simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside and quinoa is tender. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese; season with pepper to taste and up to 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt. Serve sprinkled with remaining Parmesan.

Recipe and photo are provided by Dairy Farmers of Canada. For more recipe ideas, visit dairygoodness.ca.

Tips

Heating the milk before adding it to the pot helps speed up the cooking time and makes a lovely, smooth sauce.
You can heat the milk in the microwave on medium (50%) power or in a saucepan on the stove-top over medium heat – just be sure not to let it boil.
To use leftover cooked chicken or turkey, use about 3 cups (750 mL) chopped.
Sauté the carrot mixture for about 7 minutes before adding quinoa, and add cooked poultry with peas in step 3.
For the adventurous: replace 1 or 2 of the carrots with parsnips or use 2 cups (500 mL) of diced rutabaga.
Omit dried basil and stir in 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh basil along with the peas.