One-Pot Italian Chicken & Quinoa Recipe - Cookin Canuck (2024)

Made from staple pantry ingredients and chicken thighs, this easy and delicious One Pot Italian Chicken and Quinoa recipe is a lifesaver on a busy night. 264 calories and 5 Weight Watchers SP

This Italian chicken and quinoa recipe is one of those meals that came to be as a result of staring into the pantry and fridge for a good 10 minutes. My goal was to avoid a trip to the grocery store at all costs because 1) in my standard "don't follow the meals plans I write" MO (I’m winning at the ol’ “do as I say not as I do” adage), I had already been to the store four times that week. 2) I was determined not to spend any more money on groceries. And let’s be honest - 3) I was feeling as lazy as a sloth.

So, I started pulling ingredients out of the pantry in hopes of pulling off a one pot meal - a can of crushed tomatoes, oregano and quinoa. Over to the fridge for some chicken thighs and carrots. One last stop at my windowsill for a few leaves of fresh basil. A meal in the making!

And since the laziness factor was still very real, it goes to reason that I wanted to deal with as few dirty dishes as possible at the conclusion of the meal. That means it had to be a one-pot affair. So, out came my favorite everyday pan (affiliate link), which I use for all of our one-pot meals. Seriously, you MUST get one of these pans..

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS ONE POT ITALIAN CHICKEN AND QUINOA RECIPE:

Let's get real - this meal isn't rocket science. But it is delicious, hearty goodness that can be made out of some staple ingredients. That earns it some serious brownie points.

These are the main components need for this recipe (affiliate links included)…

• Chicken: If I was given the choice of only cooking with chicken thighs or breasts for the rest of my life, thighs would win out in a heartbeat. They aren't apt to dry out like chicken breasts and have a richer flavor. But if chicken thighs really aren't your things, feel free to substitute with chicken breasts. Cut each breast in half crosswise before cooking.
• Quinoa: This ancient grain holds a regular place in my pantry, and with good reason. It's healthy, it cooks quickly and it can even be made ahead and frozen (see my tutorial for all of your "How do you freeze quinoa?" questions). Be sure to the quinoa a good rinse. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin, which can lend a bitter taste to the healthy grain.
• Crushed tomatoes: Another pantry staple. I keep 3 to 4 cans of crushed tomatoes on hand at all times. They're a key ingredient in one pot meals, Bolognese sauce and turkey chili.
• Veggies: Sautéed onions and carrots are the starting point for the easy tomato sauce. They should be cooked until just tender, which takes about 5 minutes.
• Seasoning: Minced garlic (as always), dried oregano and fresh basil round out the flavors.

Tips for making this one pot chicken recipe:

If you have extra time, season the chicken with the salt, pepper and oregano ahead of time. Even 15 minutes before cooking will make a difference. This will allow the seasonings, particularly the salt to seep into the chicken, producing a flavorful piece of meat all the way through.

The recipe starts with searing the chicken thighs in a nonstick skillet. Don’t skip this step! Browning the chicken adds extra flavor.

Because the chicken is partially cooked when browned in the first step, it does not need to simmer as long as the quinoa. Simmer the quinoa with the vegetables and a bit of water for about 15 minutes, then nestle the chicken thighs into the mixture and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve this healthy dinner recipe alongside some steamed veggies or a green salad to get in an extra dose of veggies. Meal ready, trip to grocery store averted. Success!

Other healthy one pot meals:

{Cookin’ Canuck}
{Cookin’ Canuck}
Green Shakshuka {Happy Kitchen}
Unstuffed Bell Pepper Skillet {Kristine’s Kitchen}

Printable Recipe

The post was originally published on July 5, 2016 and updated on November 21, 2019.

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.

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