Do you struggle to get in your energizing good carb meals? This weeks freezer meal brings me back to energizing (E) meals. I find it’s very easy to find low carb fat meals but keeping the fat low and adding in those healthy carbs is not always the easiest thing to do. As many of you know I follow the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) eating plan and they encourage you to build each meal around protein and then add EITHER healthy carbs (E meals) OR healthy fats (S meals). I’d like to share a recipe with you called Creamy Chicken Broccoli Quinoa Casserole today. My family really likes broccoli so I try to squeeze it into our meals as often as possible.
If you are not a Trim Healthy Mama do not stop reading this recipe is easy and healthy. It’s a great addition to your menu for this week even if you are not following the plan.
I’m going to jump right in with the recipe but if you are just joining us please start by reading my freezer meal theory. It will show you how making four of the same meal once a week can transform your life!
Creamy Chicken Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
For this recipe, I used my instant-pot to complete the whole meal and I also cooked it in two batches because I didn’t think it would all fit in one. If you do not have an instant-pot or pressure cooker you can definitely still make the recipe by cooking your chicken and quinoa separately and then combining everything once they are cooked. It will definitely take you longer than it took me and more steps but don’t sign off this recipe just because you don’t have the right equipment.
With that being said here is how I did my whole weeks cooking in just 10 minutes. I poured 3 cups water into my instant-pot, 1 cup almond milk, followed by an 8oz bag of uncooked quinoa. When that was all in I chopped up my 2 lbs chicken into bite sized pieces and added it to the pot, UNCOOKED. Two 8 oz blocks of cream cheese went in next and I topped it off with two bags of frozen broccoli.
I secured the lid to my pot and set it on the chicken/meat setting and let it do its thing. The cooking time once up to pressure was 18 minutes. When it was done I let the pressure out, stirred it around to combine it and loaded this into two 9×13 pans. I repeated the process for my last two pans. After everything was done in the pressure cooker and evenly placed into the 9×13 pans I sprinkled with some salt and pepper and allowed it to cool. Once it was cooled I covered it and froze it. When I’m ready to eat these I will thaw them and cook at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Printable Recipe
THM Creamy Chicken, Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole
This creamy chicken is a great Trim Healthy Mama (THM) E meal. It is filling and great for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 8oz bag uncooked quinoa
- 2 8oz blocks fat-free cream cheese
- 3-4 lbs uncooked chicken cubed
- 2 bags frozen broccoli
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Put water, almond milk, and uncooked quinoa into your pressure cooker.
-
Add the two blocks of softened cream cheese.
-
Cut up your uncooked chicken and place it into the pot
-
Top with 2 bags of frozen broccoli.
-
Set your post to the meat setting and let it go! Mine did 18 minutes once up to pressure. Stir it around to combine and then divide into two 9x13 pans. Freeze. When ready to serve thaw and cook at 350 for 30-40 mins