This tacky quinoa enchilada casserole recipe is ready within the gradual cooker with juicy rooster, ripe canned tomatoes, beans, corn, and hearty quinoa. All the things will get layered with tortillas and melty cheese for a satisfying make-ahead dinner.
This quinoa enchilada casserole is critically good consolation meals. As a substitute of filling and rolling the tortillas such as you would for conventional rooster enchiladas, we’ll stack delicate flour tortillas in between layers of rooster, juicy canned tomatoes, quinoa, and cheese. Just like a taco casserole, solely assembled in a crockpot.
If you happen to’ve been round right here for some time, you already understand how a lot I like the gradual cooker! Whether or not it’s at present’s quinoa enchilada casserole with rooster, gradual cooker rooster tacos, or crack rooster, my crockpot is my all-time favourite shortcut to a home-cooked meal.
About This Sluggish Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
- Enchiladas made straightforward. An enchilada casserole is ideal once I can’t discover the time to roll, fill, and bake my common rooster or beef enchiladas within the oven.
- Crowd favourite consolation meals. I like whipping collectively this casserole within the morning, setting it to cook dinner, and coming residence to a comfy, comforting meal. It’s nice on nights when associates or household are over for dinner.
- All-in-one. What I like most about casserole recipes is that, more often than not, they’re a whole meal in a single! This quinoa enchilada casserole has protein, veggies, and grains.
Elements Wanted for This Recipe
This gradual cooker quinoa enchilada casserole turns easy pantry and fridge elements right into a 5-star dinner, with a number of room for variations. These are the elements I take advantage of. Scroll to the recipe card after the publish for the printable recipe with the total quantities.
- Onion and Garlic – Freshly diced onion and minced garlic. If you happen to don’t have contemporary garlic, substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder or 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic per clove.
- Floor Hen – You can additionally make a turkey enchilada casserole with quinoa and lean floor turkey. Alternatively, take into account swapping fowl for lean floor beef as an alternative.
- Canned Tomatoes – I take advantage of Hunt’s canned diced tomatoes. Strive fire-roasted tomatoes for much more taste.
- Corn and Beans – If wanted, strive utilizing pinto beans or kidney beans as an alternative choice to black beans. As a substitute of utilizing canned corn, you may also shave the contemporary kernels from leftover corn on the cob.
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a seed that is available in purple, white, black, or tri-colored varieties. Some manufacturers require rinsing the quinoa earlier than you cook dinner it. Confer with the packaging to make sure.
- Spices – Chili powder and cumin. I like to recommend including each of those to style. For a spicier casserole, add extra chili powder or one other spice, like cayenne. You’ll be able to swap the person spices for taco seasoning or fajita seasoning, too.
- Enchilada Sauce – I like utilizing my fast and simple do-it-yourself enchilada sauce when I’ve quarter-hour to spare (or when it’s already within the fridge). In any other case, a jar of store-bought sauce does the trick. You’ll be able to select gentle or spicy enchilada sauce relying on what you favor.
- Hen Broth – I like to make use of low-sodium, fat-free rooster broth. You can use do-it-yourself rooster inventory or vegetable broth in case you’d like.
- Flour Tortillas – Corn tortillas are the standard selection for enchiladas, however I take advantage of entire wheat flour tortillas on this casserole. You should use flour tortillas or corn; it’s as much as you.
- Shredded Cheese – I take advantage of a Mexican shredded cheese mix (the type that features cheeses like Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and melty mozzarella). You can additionally use freshly grated cheese, and it’ll soften extra easily.
- Garnishes – Recent cilantro (or parsley), diced avocado, and bitter cream for serving.
My Favourite Canned Tomatoes
I like tomatoes. The scent, the flavour, the juiciness. I grew up plucking them straight from my mom’s backyard. And once I can’t get mother’s garden-grown tomatoes in March, it doesn’t imply I’ve to surrender the freshness and taste. That’s the place Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes are available in. They’re my go-to, 100% pure and non-GMO tomatoes any time of the yr.
Suggestions and Recipe Variations
- Drain and rinse the canned beans. You’ll want to empty and rinse canned black beans and corn kernels earlier than you add them to the casserole.
- Vegetarian quinoa enchilada casserole. To make a meatless enchilada casserole, skip the bottom rooster and substitute it with further quinoa, beans, chickpeas, or meatless mince.
- Totally different protein. Strive a quinoa enchilada casserole with beef, turkey, or pork. You may also substitute the bottom meat on this recipe with cooked, leftover pulled rooster, shredded beef birria, or pork carnitas.
What to Serve With Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Serve this quinoa enchilada casserole as a meal as-is, or add a number of bowls of toppings to the desk for a satisfying and simple Tex-Mex dinner. I like my servings topped with diced avocado and freshly chopped cilantro, with a beneficiant dollop of bitter cream. After all, a pineapple margarita by no means hurts.
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll serve this quinoa enchilada casserole with white rice or fiesta rice on the aspect. Take pleasure in tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole as a starter, and sip on a do-it-yourself Mexican espresso for dessert!
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- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean floor rooster
- 1 can, (14.5 ounces) Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes
- 1 can black beans, effectively rinsed
- 1 cup candy corn kernels, rinsed
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to style
- 1 tablespoon floor cumin, or to style
- 1 10-ounce can of purple enchilada sauce
- 1 ½ cups low sodium, fat-free rooster broth
- salt and contemporary floor pepper, to style
- 6-8 (8-inch) low-carb entire wheat flour tortillas
- 1 cup Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- Chopped contemporary cilantro or parsley, for garnish, elective
- Diced avocado, for serving, elective
- Bitter cream, for serving, elective
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Sauté the onions. Warmth olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onions and cook dinner over medium-high warmth for 3 minutes.
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Cook dinner the rooster. Stir in garlic and floor rooster; cook dinner, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, or till rooster is cooked via. Take away from warmth.
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Mix the elements. In a big mixing bowl, mix tomatoes, black beans, corn, quinoa, ready floor rooster, chili powder, floor cumin, enchilada sauce, rooster broth, salt, and pepper; combine every thing till effectively integrated.
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Assemble the casserole. Frivolously grease the crockpot with cooking spray. Organize 2 flour tortillas on the underside of your crock pot. Layer about 1/3 of the ready quinoa combination over the flour tortillas. Repeat the layers, ending with the quinoa combination on prime. Sprinkle with cheese.
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Cook dinner. Cook dinner on HIGH for two.5 to three hours, or on LOW for 4 hours.
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Serve! Garnish with chopped cilantro, avocado, and bitter cream.
Energy: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 28g | Fats: 15g | Saturated Fats: 5g | Ldl cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1037mg | Potassium: 1041mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 940IU | Vitamin C: 11.5mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 5.4mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might differ in accordance with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
The best way to Make a Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
These are the steps to organize this tacky, hearty enchilada quinoa casserole within the gradual cooker or crock pot:
- Pre-cook the veggies and protein. You’ll begin by sautéeing the onions in a skillet over medium-high warmth. Add the bottom rooster and garlic, and cook dinner till the rooster browns. This further browning step helps construct extra taste than merely layering every thing into the crockpot raw.
- Mix the elements. Subsequent, add your floor rooster combination to a bowl together with the quinoa, tomatoes, and the remaining enchilada elements (aside from the tortillas, cheese, and garnishes). Toss every thing collectively so it’s effectively mixed.
- Assemble the casserole contained in the crock pot. Now, grease the within of the crock pot or gradual cooker. Lay two tortillas within the backside of the pot, and unfold ⅓ of the quinoa combine on prime. Repeat, topping every layer of tortillas with extra filling, ending with a layer of quinoa combination. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on prime.
- Cook dinner. Cowl and cook dinner the enchilada casserole for two ½ to three hours on Excessive, or 4 hours on Low. When it’s time to serve, scoop out parts of casserole and add your favourite taco toppings! Mine are cilantro, avocado, and bitter cream. See above for extra concepts.
Storing and Reheating Quinoa Casserole
- Refrigerate. Switch any leftover casserole to an hermetic container and permit it to chill utterly earlier than refrigerating. Leftovers final 3-4 days within the fridge.
- Reheat. Heat the casserole lined below foil in a 350ºF oven, or you possibly can reheat particular person servings within the microwave.
- Freeze. You’ll be able to freeze this quinoa enchilada casserole hermetic for as much as 2 months. Thaw it within the fridge earlier than reheating.
