Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot minced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ½ pound asparagus spears woody ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups cubed or shredded chicken breast I cooked 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts using this method.
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1½ lemons This is very lemony, so if you don't LOVE lemon, start with the juice of just 1.
- ¼ cup 2% milk
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1¼ cups grated creamy Fontina cheese divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
For garnish: (optional)
- 1 lemon sliced into thin rounds
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Start by cooking the quinoa! Combine the quinoa and chicken broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover the saucepan with a lid, and cook for about 14 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Let the quinoa rest, covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large (12- to 14-inch) ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Add the asparagus, season generously with salt and fresh ground pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender and bright green. (Don’t overcook the asparagus, people! You don’t want it to become complete mush in the oven.) Stir in thyme, oregano, chicken breast, lemon juice and zest. Turn off the heat and carefully stir in the cooked quinoa, along with the milk, ricotta and ½ cup of the Fontina. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper if needed.
- In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan and panko. Lightly smooth the top of the quinoa mixture. Add the remaining ¾ cup Fontina in an even layer and sprinkle with the cheesy panko. Decorate the top of your casserole with thinly sliced lemon rounds if you’re feeling fancy.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the topping is lightly browned. (Sometimes I pop mine under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to give the bread crumbs some extra color.)
- Garnish the bake with chopped parsley and serve warm.