![Crockpot Chicken and Quinoa Burrito Bowl](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/3zQdyGVLTgPRtiF_2iY3NgDHp7U=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Quinoa-Chicken-Burrito-Bowl-572b645b3df78c038efb1cec.jpg)
Jennifer Meier
This crockpot burrito bowl recipe made with quinoa (pronounced "KEEN-wah") instead of white rice is all about the garnishes. Pile on sour cream, green onions, salsa, hot sauce, and avocado. It's a one-pot, one-bowl meal that's perfect for family dinners. It is also really good leftover the next day for breakfast or lunch. Refrigerate any leftovers. You can reheat them in the microwave and top with garnishes for a quick lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
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1 pound chicken thighs, boneless skinless
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1 cup chicken broth
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1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, or tomato puree
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1 onion, chopped
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3 cloves garlic, chopped
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2 teaspoons chili powder
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon coriander
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1 cup quinoa, rinsed
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1 bell pepper, finely chopped or thinly sliced
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1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, or black beans, drained and rinsed
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2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a slow cooker, combine chicken, broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, chili powder, garlic powder, and coriander. Cook the chicken on high for 3 hours.
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Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with a fork and knife. Put the chicken back in the slow cooker. Add quinoa, bell pepper, and beans. Cook on low for 2 more hours.
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Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Continue to cook until the cheese melts.
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To serve, spoon the chicken and quinoa into individual serving bowls. Each person can top it with plenty of their favorite garnishes.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a gluten-free seed (often called a grain) that has been grown for thousands of years in South America. It has the highest protein content of all grains and is considered a complete protein.
The most common type of quinoa is white. However, you will also see red, black or mixed quinoa sold at grocery stores. For the most part, white, black and red quinoa taste the same, although the red and black quinoa can have a slightly earthier flavor and chewier texture.
Before cooking quinoa, it is usually recommended that you rinse it in water. However, rinsing quinoa isn't as crucial as you might think. Many brands of quinoa have been polished or pre-washed to remove the bitter but harmless coating (called saponin).
Not rinsing quinoa isn't harmful, but quinoa can have a slightly bitter flavor if not rinsed. To rinse quinoa, swish it around in a bowl of water then drain using a fine mesh strainer, or just run water over the quinoa while it's in the strainer.
Chicken Thighs or Breasts
You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe instead of thighs. But expect the meat to be drier and less flavorful than thigh meat. One way to combat dry chicken breasts: Soak them in a salt/sugar/water brine before cooking the meat.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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404 | Calories |
20g | Fat |
25g | Carbs |
34g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 to 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 404 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 20g | 25% |
Saturated Fat 9g | 46% |
Cholesterol 130mg | 43% |
Sodium 872mg | 38% |
Total Carbohydrate 25g | 9% |
Dietary Fiber 7g | 26% |
Total Sugars 3g | |
Protein 34g | |
Vitamin C 35mg | 173% |
Calcium 331mg | 25% |
Iron 3mg | 18% |
Potassium 665mg | 14% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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