In this easy one-pot chicken recipe, chicken, quinoa, mushrooms and spinach nestle together for a healthy meal with minimal clean-up. 256 calories and 6 Weight Watchers SP
On those days when cooking and clean-up seem overwhelming, this one-pot chicken quinoa dish comes to the rescue!
Ever since I fist made Quinoa with Caramelized Crimini Mushrooms, Soy Sauce and Ginger years ago, I knew that one of my favorite whole grains (which can even be frozen for easy meal prep!) was a perfect match for my all-time favorite vegetable.
So, why not nestle some seasoned chicken thighs into the simmering quinoa and mushroom mixture, along with some fresh spinach for a complete meal?
Healthy dinner on the table and massive clean-up averted.
My job here is done.
Tips for making this one-pot chicken quinoa meal:
The first step is to get a nice sear on the spice-coated chicken thighs. That golden brown crust on the outside adds flavor. Never turn down the opportunity to add an extra layer of flavor! Two to three minutes per side in a hot skillet will do the trick.
Next up…sauté the mushrooms and onions until tender, then stir in the garlic.
Add the broth and quinoa, bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat. The mixture should be simmering.
About 10 minutes later, add the chicken thighs back to the skillet. Don’t leave behind the accumulated juices (hello, flavor). Once the chicken is in the pan, cover and cook.
Be sure that the mixture is simmering! If you don’t see bubbles, turn up the heat a bit so that the mixture is hot enough to cook the chicken.
The last step is to add the spinach and adjust the seasonings (salt and pepper) to taste. Super simple!
What can I use in place of mushrooms?
If you’re not a rabid fan of mushrooms like I am, feel free to make a substitution. Zucchini, bell peppers, green beans, carrots, eggplant or even sliced cabbage added in the last few minutes. Plenty of options!
Can chicken breasts be used instead of thighs?
Yes. If using breasts, I suggest cutting them in half or in thirds if they are large. Take care not to overcook the meat, as chicken breasts tend to dry out easily.
Other one-pot dinner recipes:
One-Pot Italian Chicken & Quinoa {Cookin' Canuck}
One-Pot Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken & Spinach {Cookin' Canuck}
One-Pot Creamy Peanut Spinach Lentils {Food Faith Fitness}
One Pan Healthy Paella {The Clean Eating Couple}
One-Pot Chicken, Quinoa, Mushrooms & Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- ¾ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups low-fat chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups sliced spinach leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a medium bowl. Add the rosemary, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and toss to coat the chicken.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and mushrooms, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir the quinoa and broth into the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Nestle the chicken into the quinoa, and cook (covered) until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes (total of 30 minutes).
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the spinach into the quinoa. Serve with the chicken. Season to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was first published on September 11, 2015 and was updated on August 27, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Hope
I didn’t think I liked quinoa, but my husband, toddler, and I loved it. The mushrooms really compliment it, and somehow it actually reminded me of a stir-fry with soy sauce.
Sonia Rodriguez
Enjoyed this 28-day recipe trip with you. Will be making many of them for the family. I look forward to more excellent advice from you.
Saludos from Chile !
Dara
I'm so glad to hear that, Sonia!
Michaela
Someone shared this recipe to my diet group on FB. I made it last night and it's a keeper. We love mushrooms. Easy for me to make and 1 pot is always good.
Thank you
Debdom
My family loved it so much...Thanks for sharing!!!!
MGO
Amazing! My family loved it!
Alisha
I made this tonight because I had all the ingredients lying around and I'm so happy with how it turned out. I added some peppers and potato and minced ginger. Such a delicious recipe! Thank you 🙂
Kris
Just made this and it was great! Quinoa was very savory! This was easy to make, wholesome, and nice for winter. I made it in cast iron. Next time I think I would add more mushrooms.
Norma
This is just what I was looking for. Now I need to run out and get the mushrooms.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Be well!
Sheila
Not a fan of the Rosemary flavor and used sage
and a little thyme. Also used some mushroom/sage EVOO and it really added to the flavor. Very tasty.
Katya
Wow, so glad I found this recipe! I followed the directions almost exactly, just added some frozen peas to the mix. Turned out absolutely mind blowing. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Dara
That's so great to hear, Katya! Thank you for commenting.
Kaye
This is a fantastic recipe. It's very savory and a tasty way to have quinoa. I had chicken breasts on hand and cooked them separately, letting them rest in top the quinoa, after I mixed in the spinach, which I doubled the quantity of. Definitely, making it again. Thank you!
Dara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Kaye!
Mindy
Really yummy! Made it for two and we had leftovers. I used chicken breast- forgot that I should reduce the cooking time (was on the drier side). Overall, this was a very tasty dish, and it feels so good for you! I would totally make the quinoa part again as its own dish!
Karen Reedy
This was easy and yummy. I burnt the quinoa a little bit so I added a little more broth. I substituted boneless, skinless breasts pounded and cut in half. I also used fresh rosemary.
Robin
So delicious! Wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
Dara
That's wonderful to hear, Robin!
Raina Lewis
Is the quinoa 1 cup cooked or uncooked when adding to the pan?
Dara
Hi Raina, that's dry (uncooked) quinoa.
Taylor
Wow! Thank you for such an awesome recipe. I made tweaks based on my own pickiness, but your steps and timings were dead on!! I used red onion and oregano (thyme isn’t my favorite), doubled the garlic (my standard for all recipes), and subbed in zucchini (wish I could make myself like mushrooms). I threw in some sliced cherry tomatoes at the end with the spinach and YUM! The chicken thighs were so much juicier than breasts and held up much nicer for leftovers. Thanks so much for a new staple for our weeks that is filling, healthy, and easy.
Dara
So glad that you enjoyed it and that you were able to tweak things to suit your palate.
Suzanne
Was easy and delicious
Dara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Suzanne!
Margie E Bromen
Was looking for high proteins and quinoa recipes and found this-made it tonight and was a big hit. I did add 1/3 cup rice and 2/3 cup broth and another cup of spinach but was really good.
Mae
I’m making this right now. I added oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and red chili flakes to the spice mixture. I pan fried the chicken thighs until they got a nice golden brown crust, then for my veggies I did shallots, mushrooms, and I had some left over shredded green cabbage and shredded carrots that needed used up so I added that to the veg mixture. At the end of the that I put some dry white wine before and a splash of Worchester sauce with the vegetables. I also added about a teaspoon of spicy Dijon mustard to the broth. I also have some fresh rosemary that I minced up and I plan on adding to the top. This recipe smells heavenly and I’m so excited, thank you for the wonderful base!
Helena
Made this recipe , definitely gone into my book of favourites, love it and so does my husband, made a double batch and froze as individual serves.
Dara
I'm so happy to hear that!
Dimitri Komarov
This is such an simple yet ridiculously delicious recipe. Thank you for sharing this. My family absolutely loved this.
Dara
Great to hear, Dimitri! Thank you for commenting.
Monette
Not quite sure what to reduce heat to when letting quinoa simmer for 10 minutes as well as when further cooking the chicken for 20 minutes: would this be a medium-low? Low?
Dara
Hi Monette, every stovetop is a little different. On my stovetop, I achieve a simmer around medium-low; but on many higher powered gas burners, this can be achieved on low. The important thing is to observe the liquid to determine if it's simmering - adjust the heat as necessary.