Name: Healthy One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2″ cubes; 1 cup diced red onion; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 6 mini assorted color sweet red peppers, sliced; 2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilis; 14 oz can low sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained; 1 cup diced roma tomatoes; 1 cup quinoa; 2 cups low sodium chicken broth; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 1/2 cup shredded colby cheese; 1 avocado, diced; 1/4 cup diced green onions

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★★★★★ 5 from 6 votes

This One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole is light, easy to make, and packed with nutrients and flavor! Everything is made in a single pan, and it’s only 290 calories a serving!

For another tasty one pot recipe, you have to try my Easy One Pot Shakshuka! These dinners will save your life on busy weeknights.

Top view of a bowl of Healthy One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole

Table of Contents

One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole
Why I Love This Quinoa Casserole
Get the Recipe

One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole

I consider myself a pretty fit and active person. I usually try to work out between 3-5 times per week. Of course there are some weeks that it doesn’t happen at all, but there’s grace in those weeks.

But for the past couple of weeks now I’ve felt in a little bit of a physical rut. Not really seeing much change, at least not the changes I want to see. So I decided for the first time ever that I was going to sign up for personal training sessions at our gym.

I scouted out the gym trainers while I was in there working out. I figured, if I can find one that takes care of themselves (aka is looking good or hot) then she will be able to do the same for me. Good logic right? 🙂 I thought so.

I had my first training session this past Monday and it was great, I really liked her. The exercises were different, challenging, and I learned new things. Then Tuesday came around and now I don’t like her, because I am walking around the house like an 80 year old woman. It takes everything I have to get up out of bed or push myself off the ground after playing with Cason, actually the sitting down part might be worse. I haven’t quite figured it out yet, basically because all around I hurt. Anywho, it is now Thursday and I’m still sore. Manageable soreness, but still sore none the less.

The worst part about this situation is today I have another lesson with her and we are doing upper body. EEK!!!

I don’t even want to think about what my weekend is going to look and/or feel like. I just have to keep reminding myself “pain is weakness leaving the body…. pain is weakness leaving the body.” That’s the quote we use to say all the time during volleyball pre-season each year – where we had three 2 1/2 hour practices a day … for two weeks … ughh!

Even though I will be limping and asking for mike to carry things for me all weekend at least I can take solace in this One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole dish!

Why I Love This Quinoa Casserole

The recipe came about because I was really craving Green Chili Enchiladas. Well, first off carbs from the tortillas, loads of dairy, and in general not the absolute best for you … at least the kind that I was craving … ahem the full fat kind. I was racking my brain trying to think of a gluten free and less dairy way to make my craving appear on our dinner table.

Which is why this One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole came about. This recipe has all the yummy southwestern flavors I love, smoky paprika, green chili’s, pinto beans, sweet peppers, cumin, cilantro, and avocado – with only 290 calories a serving! That’s under 300 for a dinner folks, and even though it’s light on calories it’s definitely not light on flavor. Cason gobbled this meal up and my strong enchilada cravings were completely satisfied!

PS, when I say “one pot” I literally mean everything is made in one pot. So yeah for less dirty dishes!! High fives all around!

Hope you and your family enjoy this meal as much as we did! Bon Appetite my friends!