Chicken Broccoli Quinoa

A hearty one-pan chicken, quinoa, and broccoli skillet with peppers, pecans, cranberries, and scallions.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Servings: 8 servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1 1/4 cups dried quinoa
3 1/2 cups chicken broth plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 bell pepper (yellow or orange), seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pecan pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste (recipe uses 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in cooking)

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Add the chopped bell pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the broccoli florets, stir, and continue to sauté 3–4 minutes until partially softened; remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
Place the whole chicken breasts in the now-empty skillet and add the minced garlic, dried quinoa, 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Once it reaches a simmer, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, the broth is mostly absorbed, and the quinoa spirals have separated, about 18–20 minutes; add up to 1/2 cup more broth if the pan becomes too dry.
Remove the chicken, chop it into bite-size pieces, and return it to the skillet.
Stir in the sautéed vegetables, pecan pieces, dried cranberries, and chopped scallions; taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Serve the mixture warm.

If you have leftover cooked chicken or turkey, you can substitute it and add it at the end.