This Quinoa Pilaf brings together protein-rich quinoa, juicy chicken, and creamy chickpeas, all tossed with veggies and finished with a zesty lemon-herb sauce.
author’s note
Quinoa Pilaf That Will Have You Scraping the Bowl Clean!
In my latest Instagram poll, the most requested recipes were for high-protein meals, and this Quinoa Pilaf delivers with chicken, chickpeas, and quinoa. Most people are surprised to learn that just one cup of quinoa has 8 grams of protein!
But honestly, what keeps me coming back isn’t just the protein. It’s how good it is. The nutty quinoa, juicy chicken, and creamy chickpeas soak up that lemon-herb sauce in the best way. I could happily eat this for every meal and never get tired of it.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Quinoa | Rinse before cooking to remove bitterness. Swap with farro or brown rice if you prefer. |
| Chicken | Use rotisserie chicken to save time, or leave it out for vegetarian. |
| Chickpeas | Swap with cannellini beans or white beans. |
| Carrots & Onion | Dice finely so they mix in better. Pre-diced or frozen work great. |
| Chicken Stock | The better the stock, the better the pilaf tastes. Veggie stock works too. |
| Lemon-Herb Sauce | Make ahead and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Try cilantro or mint instead of parsley. |
Quinoa Pilaf Tips
- The chicken stock makes a big difference in flavor. My favorite is Swanson’s chicken stock.
- Finely dice the carrot and onion so they blend in better and improve the texture.
- Let the quinoa stand after cooking so it steams and turns out fluffier.
Quick Tip
Make sure to get flat-leaf Italian parsley, as opposed to curly for this recipe.
Storage
Store leftover quinoa pilaf in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of stock or water to loosen. This dish doesn’t freeze well since the quinoa can turn mushy.
More Ways To Use Quinoa:
Protein Packed Quinoa Pilaf
Equipment
- Medium pot nonstick
- Small blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion 1 medium onion
- 3/4 cup finely diced carrot 2 to 3 medium carrots
- 1-1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic 2 to 3 cloves
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 1/4 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-2/3 cups chicken stock I like Swanson’s
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries optional, see note 1
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup honey roasted almonds
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1-1/2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
- 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup tightly packed flat-leaf Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick pot (that has a fitted lid) over medium-low heat. Add diced onions and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and seasonings and cook for 1 more minute. Add quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock, chickpeas, and optional dried cherries. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Cook until liquid is absorbed and quinoa has “popped,” about 18–25 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5–10 minutes to steam.
- Meanwhile, prepare the remaining additions. Fluff quinoa with a fork and stir in the chicken to heat through. Add almonds and parsley and mix to combine.
- Meanwhile, prepare the herb infusion by adding the olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, honey, parsley, and salt/pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon each) to a small blender or food processor. Blend until the parsley is broken down and all ingredients are incorporated. Drizzle the herb infusion over everything and gently toss to combine. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations
- Make it vegetarian: Use vegetarian stock instead and omit the chicken. Want more protein? Stir in some frozen peas.
- Make it vegan: Use the same changes above and this is also vegan!
- Dairy–free: Quinoa Pilaf is naturally dairy-free.
- Change out the beans: If you aren’t a fan of chickpeas, feel free to leave them out. After cooking the Quinoa Pilaf, you can stir in some (drained and rinsed) white or cannellini beans instead.
- Swap the herbs: Swap parsley with cilantro or mint instead for a fresh twist.
Giiiiiirl, your quinoa/veggie pictures are drool-worthy. So so pretty. Love how simple and delicious this is! And the flexibility is awesome. Mmmm, I want this like right about now! Love this, pretty lady!
Erin you always leave the nicest comments! Thanks so much! 🙂
I could use all the one-pot quick dinners I can get at this point! This looks delicious Chelsea! And I love that photo of the onions – it’s gorgeous!
Thanks so much Ashley! One pot dinners are definitely my go-to on busy days 🙂
Oh wow! The colours in your photos really pop out! Gorgeous! I love how there’s minimal washing up to do 🙂
It’s so much fun – I love it! And love the minimal dishes 🙂 Thanks!
I think you might have created the perfect dinner! Healthy, easy, delicious, adaptable – this is seriously perfect! Yum!
Thank you Cate!
Totally just saw this on instagram Chelsea! Quinoa is just so versatile….kind of my favorite side item right now! Great replacement for rice. I like that you added a bunch of veggies to it…great way to sneak them in! So healthy for you. Thanks for the recipe 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
Quinoa is so awesome right! Thanks so much Kelly 🙂 Hope you are having a great day as well!
Good morning! For this one pot quinoa & veggie recipe, does the quinoa cook with the one pot dish, or does it need to already be cooked separately before being put into the pot?
Thanks.
It cooks with it; so put it in raw 🙂
This looks so delicious!!
Thanks so much Jessica! I love thrift shopping and always find my props at a goodwill or salvation army 🙂
One pot dinner dishes are everything! I love how this recipe is so customizable and you can easily add shrimp or chicken into the mix – great dish!
We love quinoa over here! It’s so quick and easy to make! I was so happy to see that Costco carries a giant bag of organic quinoa now. This sounds tasty and I love how healthy it is.
Love all the colors here! 30 minutes is my kinda meal!
So colorful! And I love all the pics!