So I am doing a 28-day nutrition challenge at my gym, and following the meal plan they gave me. I’m not gonna lie, it’s a little difficult adjusting to this diet. It’s a lot less fat and a lot more carbs than my body is used to. BUT shocking the body every now and then is a good thing. One of the recipes is this white bean, chicken chili with quinoa. Reading the recipe I think it missed a few opportunities to add a lot more flavor. BUT these recipes seem to be geared towards people with little to no cooking experience, so I get it.
Since getting my Instapot a few months back it has been getting used almost every day, from “hard boiling” eggs to making chicken and duck stock an the regular. So since this one had a “slow cooker” version I decided to slow cook in the Instapot.
Instapot Quinoa White Chicken Chili With Spinach
Serves 4
Easy healthy chicken chili
Ingredients
1 lb boneless-skinless organic chicken breast cut into 2 inch-ish cubes.
1 tablespoon olive or high oleic safflower oil (divided)
1 diced onion
2 diced Jalapeno peppers (keep seeds for hotter chili, remove for a more medium heat)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or home made is even better)
1 cup salsa verde
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
1 15-oz can white beans (or 1 ½ cups cooked beans)
½ cup quinoa (rinse it well!)
1 tbs lime juice
2 tbs cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Press Saute on the instapot.
Once the Instapot says "HOT" add ½ tablespoon oil.
Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt since the salsa and broth have salt, and you can always add more at the end.)
Add the chicken and brown on 2 or 3 sides (about a minute or 2 per side) Don't worry if the chicken isn't cooked, this step is for flavor, the chicken will be fully cooked by 6 hours in the slow cooker.
Remove chicken from the pot.
Add the other ½ tablespoon of oil and the onions and peppers. Cook until tender, and just starting to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
Add garlic and cumin and cook for about 1 minute.
Add broth, salsa verde, and deglaze the pan (scrape all the yummy brown bits off the bottom of the pan.)
Add chicken, beans, quinoa, oregano, and bring to a boil.
Press cancel and then slow cook and set the temp to normal/medium.
Set the timer for 6 hours.
Remove chicken, shred or dice, and return to the soup.
Add in lime juice and cilantro check seasoning and serve.
Notes
If too hot/spicy and you are not worried about fat intake add a tablespoon or 2 of grass-fed, full fat sour cream to your serving.
If not spicy enough, green tabasco or cholula can add some flavor and spice.
A bell pepper *any color) wold also be a good addition to this, add with the onions when you are browning Them.
Adapted from healthy steps nutrition Quinoa White Chicken Chili