This skinny Mexican casserole is packed with flavor, nutrients and colors. We combine the best Mexican and Southwestern ingredients in a hearty, comforting, lean and protein rich casserole.
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🥘 Ingredients
We use quite a few ingredients in this casserole, however the majority of them can be substituted or omitted if you don't like them.
Use quinoa, black beans, peppers, chili, garlic, onion and chicken breast fillets for the main filling.
You will also need enchilada sauce (homemade, or buy your favorite), along with cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
Don't want to buy a whole bunch of unfamiliar spices? Use a Mexican seasoning blend (fajita seasoning, enchilada seasoning or taco seasoning) instead!
🔪 Instructions
Preheat the oven to 185°C / 175°C fan oven / 365°F.
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under running water. Boil it according to the pacakge instructions until the grains are softened.
Finely chop chili, garlic, onion and peppers. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan, then saute the vegetables until tender and soft, 3-5 minutes. Transfer the sauteed vegetables to a casserole dish.
Add finely cut chicken fillets to the same frying pan, and cook it with all the flavors of the peppers and onions. Season with cumin, paprika and salt, and cook until the chicken has slightly browned on all sides.
Add the cooked chicken and quinoa to the casserole dish with the vegetables. Add rinsed and drained black beans and enchilada sauce, then stir to combine all the ingredients.
Finally, drizzle some shredded cheese on top, and bake the skinny Mexican casserole in the oven for 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
🧂 Seasoning
The majority of the seasoning comes from the enchilada sauce. We also add some spices that are commonly found in Mexican cuisine.
If you love this skinny Mexican casserole, you might like this salad version of it with quinoa, black beans and avocado.
💭 Top tips
Here are my best tips to get this Mexican quinoa casserole perfect:
- Make sure to rinse and drain the quinoa thoroughly. Rinsing the grains before cooking will remove the natural bitterness from the grains, and they will taste way better!
- Cut the chicken thinly, and cook it until it's just done. This way, the chicken will be tender and juicy.
🥗 Side dishes
This casserole is even better served with some side dishes! Try any of these healthy options:
🍲 Leftovers
Store leftover skinny Mexican casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or oven before serving leftovers.
This casserole is also perfect for freezing for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it down in portion sizes for quick and easy future meals. Thaw and reheat the frozen casserole before serving.
📋 Frequently asked questions
What is quinoa? - Quinoa is a protein rich and gluten free grain. It can be replaced with rice or couscous if you don't have it available.
Is this recipe allergy friendly? - This recipe is gluten free, egg free, nut free and soy free. Omit the cheese or use a plant based cheese alternative for a dairy fre version.
Can this be made vegetarian? - Absolutely! Omit the chicken for a vegetarian version. If you replace the cheese with breadcrumbs on top you will have a delicious vegan version of the casserole.
Can I omit or substitute any ingredients? - Yes. Omit or add any ingredients you want. If you don't want to use enchilada sauce, make sure to use any other type of sauce, or the casserole will be very dry.
🍴 More healthy comfort food
- Broccoli sausage casserole
- Cauliflower rice and chicken casserole
- Vegetable stew with dumplings
- Turkey chili
- Eggplant and mozzarella pasta bake
- Baked salsa chicken
Recipe
Skinny Mexican casserole
Ingredients
- 2 peppers
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 chili
- 14 oz can black beans (400 ml)
- 2 chicken breast fillets
- 350 g enchilada sauce
- 30 g shredded cheese
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 50 g quinoa (⅓ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 185°C / 175°C fan oven / 365°F.
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under running water. Boil it according to the pacakge instructions until the grains are softened.
- Finely chop chili, garlic, onion and peppers. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan, then saute the vegetables until tender and soft, 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer the sauteed vegetables to a casserole dish. Add finely cut chicken fillets to the same frying pan, and cook it with all the flavors of the peppers and onions. Season with cumin, paprika and salt, and cook until the chicken has slightly browned on all sides.
- Add the cooked chicken and quinoa to the casserole dish with the vegetables. Add rinsed and drained black beans and enchilada sauce, then stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Finally, drizzle some shredded cheese on top, and bake the skinny Mexican casserole in the oven for 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Notes
Top tips
- Make sure to rinse and drain the quinoa thoroughly. Rinsing the grains before cooking will remove the natural bitterness from the grains, and they will taste way better!
- Cut the chicken thinly, and cook it until it’s just done. This way, the chicken will be tender and juicy.
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