Cheddar Chicken Quinoa Bake

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot (minced)
• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• dash of red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper
• 2 cups cooked & shredded chicken (I used leftovers from a roasted chicken)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (I used a mixture of red & white)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 green chili pepper (diced (optional))
• 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 11/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese (divided)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8x8 baking dish.

2. 2

   In a skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil, shallot, garlic and green onions. Saute for about 2-3 minutes.

3. 3

   Add chopped tomato, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes and salt & pepper. Stir and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, combine quinoa, chicken, red pepper, chili pepper, cilantro and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

5. 5

   Add sauce to the bowl and toss to combine.

6. 6

   Transfer mixture to the baking dish.

7. 7

   Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and cover with foil.

8. 8

   Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove from oven and garnish with additional green onions and/or cilantro.