Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili
Adding quinoa to a dish, builds bulk, texture and protein. It’s a whole grain with tons of benefits. When I was first introduced to quinoa I was baffled by it’s “fish egg” appearance and wondered just how to incorporate it into my cooking. I now enjoy using different varieties and have found it to be very versatile. Here are three things you probably should know about quinoa:
1) Quinoa has the perfect balance of all nine amino acids essential for human nutrition. This type of complete protein is rarely found in plant foods, though common in meats. Quinoa also offers a good dose of fiber and iron. It contains about 110 calories per 1/2 cup cooked, similar to rice or pasta.
2) Quinoa seeds are coated with saponin, a bitter substance that protects the seeds from predators. However, most quinoa sold in the U.S. is pre-rinsed so there’s no need to do this. But I’m fairly cautious so I go ahead and give it a rinse: put the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve, and run it under water for about 20-30 seconds.
3) I love to cook my quinoa is my rice cooker, but to cook quinoa on the stove top, combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water (or broth) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. When it’s cooked it will look slightly translucent and the white “string,” which is actually part of the hull, will be visible. One cup dry quinoa yields 3 cups cooked or 6 (½-cup) servings.
In this recipe the quinoa is added dry to the slow cooker along with all the ingredients including 3 cups of chicken broth, which helps cook the quinoa. I love all the fabulous flavors in this chili. Cumin, chili powder and garlic make it come alive. Plus it takes just a few minutes to open cans and jars of beans, crushed tomatoes and salsa, making this dish a snap to make. The slow cooker does the hard work! For more Mexican flair, try adding a can of corn.
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Roasted Vegetables and Feta Quinoa Bowl
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