If you’re looking for a one-skillet meal that’s hearty, wholesome, and packed with flavor, this Chicken with Quinoa and Broccoli is about to become your new favorite dinner. Tender roasted chicken, nutty quinoa, crispy bacon, and perfectly roasted broccoli—all tossed in a creamy, dairy-free sauce that’s rich, savory, and just the right amount of indulgent.
Do you need another healthy dinner? Try flank steak stir fry, sheet pan burrito bowls, or buffalo chicken pasta next.
Chicken, broccoli and quinoa is such a great combination. The flavors go so well together and they’re such a healthy and filling meal with healthy carbs, protein and fats all in one.
You can make this in advance for the whole week, freeze it for later or make it for your entire family. I promise everyone will love it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy, One-Pan Meal – Roast the chicken and broccoli while the quinoa cooks, then mix everything together in a creamy, flavorful sauce.
- Nutrient-Packed – Loaded with protein, fiber, and healthy fats from real, whole ingredients.
- Creamy & Dairy-Free – Coconut milk and tapioca flour create a rich, velvety sauce without any heavy cream or cheese.
- Perfect for Meal Prep – It reheats beautifully, making it a great option for lunches all week long.
What You’ll Need
- Chicken Breast: The protein-packed base of this dish—roasting keeps it juicy and flavorful.
- Broccoli: Roasted until tender-crisp for extra flavor and texture.
- Quinoa: A high-protein, fiber-rich grain that soaks up all the sauce.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, crispy element that takes this dish over the top. You can leave this out if you want!
- Onion & Garlic: Bring depth and richness to the sauce.
- Tapioca Flour & Coconut Milk: Creates a creamy, dairy-free sauce with a silky texture.
- Spicy Brown Mustard & Nutritional Yeast: Add a hint of tang and umami flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the base of the sauce, keeping it light but flavorful.
How to Make Chicken with Quinoa and Broccoli
- Roast the chicken & broccoli: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the chicken and broccoli on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring the chicken halfway through.
- Cook the quinoa: While the chicken and broccoli roast, bring water to a boil and cook quinoa according to package instructions.
- Make the sauce: Cook the bacon in a saucepan until crispy, then remove and let it cool. In the same pan, sauté onions and garlic in the bacon fat until softened.
- Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk tapioca flour into the broth and add it to the pan. Stir in coconut milk, mustard, and nutritional yeast and bring to a gentle boil, whisking continuously until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the dish: Add the cooked quinoa, crumbled bacon, and roasted broccoli to the sauce, mixing well. Slice the roasted chicken and stir it in.Serve & enjoy! This dish is best served warm, straight from the skillet!
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth to loosen the sauce if needed.
Make-Ahead: Cook the chicken, quinoa, and bacon ahead of time and store them separately, then combine everything when ready to serve.
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes
Chicken broccoli quinoa skillet
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Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3 cups broccoli florets 1 medium head of broccoli
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3-4 slices thick cut bacon sugar free
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot starch
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth or bone broth
- 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk cream only
- 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast optional
- 1/4 sea salt or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Cover a large baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper then place chicken on one side and broccoli on the other side of the baking sheet. Coat both with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook chicken and broccoli for 20-25 minutes, stirring chicken halfway through.
- While the chicken and broccoli cook, prepare the sauce and make the quinoa.
- For the quinoa, bring water to a boil and follow directions to cook 1 cup quinoa according to package directions.
- While the quinoa is cooking, make the sauce. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook on medium-high for 5-6 minutes then remove from the pan on a paper towell to cool. To the bacon fat, add the onions and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to cook until soft, 2-3 more minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the tapioca flour into the broth and add it to the pan, then immediately add the coconut milk, mustard and nutritional yeast (if using) and whisk continuously. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer and continue to stir and cook for another minute, until thickened. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Add the quinoa, crumbled bacon, and broccoli to the sauce and mix well. Slice the chicken and mix it with the rest of the skillet ingredients. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What can I substitute for coconut cream??
thanks
Hi Catherine! You could use greek yogurt or full fat coconut milk.
Can I use cornstarch and heavy cream instead of tapioca flour and coconut milk? Trying to use things I already have
Yes you can!
Weirdly way too much liquid. It came out like soup for some reason. Double checked my liquids. Don’t know if it was my issue or the recipe. After spending an hour on this, I won’t be trying again though.
Bummer, Emily! Did you double-check the amount of quinoa and did it absorb all the liquid?
I saw this comment and also had the same experience of too much liquid. So once I made the sauce using the direction, I poured out more than half. A total waste but didn’t know until I faced it. Might be a typo in how much corn starch and chicken broth.
Hi Samantha! I’ll look into this. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
I tried making this and followed the recipe to a T, is it suppose to be kinda porridge like? Too much chicken broth or something?
Looks amazing. Going to make but you forgot to buy bacon in your ingredients list as an. FYI
It’s not in the first list but it’s in the list in the boxed area I see.
Thanks for letting me know! I Just made that update.
Why do you have people spray a 9×13 inch dish and set aside, but then never use it? The baking sheet you have us use is different from a 9×13 dish! Now I’m having to wash something that was unnecessarily sprayed with PAM! ?
LOL! OMG I’m so sorry. The first time I tested this I did it in a baking dish but decided to do one pot. I forgot to take that part out when I copy and pasted from google doc!
Why is bacon or quinoa not in the ingredients for the recipe?
Oh my gosh, that was a TOTAL typo! Thank you for catching that?
Haha I happens! Thank you! I made this and it was great!!
I really like chicken, broccoli and quinoa, so I think that this recipe is a keeper! Enjoy your weekend.
Thanks, Amy! Let me know what you think!