Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Casserole - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup sunflower seed oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups quinoa
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 (5 ounce) cans chicken chunks, drained
2 cups Alfredo sauce
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
1 1/2 cups crushed pita chips
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat sunflower oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and chicken bouillon; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa is toasted, 5 to 8 minutes.
Pour water over quinoa mixture and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir thyme and parsley into quinoa mixture and simmer until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Spread quinoa mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle chicken over quinoa. Spoon Alfredo sauce and cream of chicken soup over chicken layer; top with butter pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Italian cheese blend over entire mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Stir mixture and flatten with the back of spoon or spatula; top with pita chips and remaining 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend. Bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Cool casserole for 5 minutes; top with Parmesan cheese.