This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of De’Longhi, Kenwood, Braun. The opinions and text are all mine.
A homemade, creamy mushroom sauce bring together this healthy casserole perfect for dinner. Use leftover cooked chicken and quinoa for an even quicker preparation.
Fall is casserole season. I took advantage of the recipe that made my husband fall in love with quinoa, Quinoa & Zucchini Casserole, and made it into a one dish recipe for dinner. Broccoli takes the place of zucchini, and I added chicken to make this one satisfying dinner recipe. It is a fabulous way to use up leftover chicken and quinoa, but you will not feel like you are eating leftovers! The very best feature of a casserole may very well be that you can make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you are ready for dinner. I even take another time-saving step by heating it in my De’Longhi Livenza Oven. Yes, I really do use De’Longhi. My pride and joy is my 10-year-old De’Longhi espresso and cappuccino machine. It is the reason I manage to get out of bed every single morning. Knowing I can press that button and have a delicious cup or three of hot, soul wakening espresso. I am going to cry like a baby when it goes. I cannot complain; I’ve gotten my money out of it and more, more than 10 years of daily use. Since my husband got laid off, we won’t be replacing it.
We have also had a De’Longhi oven for years. My parents were the ones that suggested De’Longhi. They were in love with their products and suggested we try them. The counter top ovens are amazing and a life saver at Thanksgiving. You can cook in them just as you would a standard oven. I find that mine pre-heats quicker than my oven, so I love to use it to get a quick weeknight meal on the table. I also don’t need to worry about the oven being hot on the outside; it has double glass doors and advanced insulation so it stays hot on the inside and cool on the outside. There is no worry that little fingers are going to accidentally touch it.
I can bake, roast, broil, grill and even defrost in the Livenza oven. It comes with four cooking levels so I can easily adjust the racks. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have burnt myself when I forget to move the racks on the standard oven. The racks are huge. I have never burnt myself moving a rack on my counter oven. I know, I know, I wouldn’t burn myself if I remembered to move the rack before I preheated the oven, but …. There is even an auto shutoff! I love that function. When I set a timer, the beeping noise drives me mad, especially if I happen to be in the middle of something and can’t run right to the oven. With the Livenza oven, it will simply shut off and not burn my food. Hallelujah!
On Thanksgiving, this oven is indispensable. Oven space is at a premium. We can bake a small turkey or stuffing in here. Often times it is my Mushroom Gratin Casserole that is cooked in the De’Longhi oven. The dish fits perfectly in the oven and it cooks evenly. The mushrooms and sauce get cooked through, and the topping gets crispy but not burnt. You could even make a small turkey in it. We have done that too. Want to make some cookies, the Livenza oven will do that, too. I love baking with convection heating, and this oven has me covered.
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Healthy Chicken, Quinoa & Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 bag frozen chopped broccoli thawed, 10oz.
- ¾ tsp kosher salt divided
- 12 oz cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups reduced fat milk
- 3 tbsp flour
- 4 oz chopped mushrooms
- 4 oz shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350•. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
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Place water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook for 10 to 13 minutes. Quinoa should be al dente, not quite cooked through. Set aside.
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In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, sauté onions with oil until translucent.
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Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and chicken, set aside.
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In a small saucepan, whisk together milk and flour. Add the mushrooms.
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Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the mixture thickens.
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Carefully pour hot mixture into a blender. Remove the cap from the top of the blender. Place the top onto the blender and cover with a folded kitchen towel. Puree the sauce.
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Return the sauce to the saucepan over medium heat.
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Slowly add the cheese whisking constantly.
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Stir the sauce into the quinoa mixture.
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Pour into the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
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Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Recipe Notes
I calculated 9 Weight Watcher Smart Points
Happy Healthy Eating,
Christie
But wait, there is more. Check out these deliciously healthy casserole recipes:
Healthy Chicken & Biscuits Casserole
Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole
Food Done Light is on a mission to keep passion for food but find ways to fit it into a healthy life and hopefully, along the way, change eating habits for good. Healthy living one bite at a time is our motto. You will find heart healthy recipes with Weight Watcher points, and most of all the recipes are delicious. Just ask the Food Done Light family which includes my husband, 9-year-old daughter, Lucy, our 7 yr old Golden Retriever, and Stella, our 12-year-old cat. Find Food Done Light on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of De’Longhi, Kenwood, Braun. The opinions and text are all mine.
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