Chicken Quinoa Soup

Quinoa is a tasty, protein-filled grain that makes a great addition to chicken soup! Add some carrots, celery, spinach, onions and bell peppers for amazing color and flavor. My husband loves this with multigrain crackers, but I think it's great as-is!

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 53 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 33 mins
• Calories: 214 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1 cup chopped celery
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 8 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon crushed bay leaf
• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 cups chopped spinach leaves

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring 3 cups water and quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Step 3

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic; cook and stir until soft, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Pour chicken broth into the Dutch oven. Add spinach leaves, marjoram, oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Stir in cooked quinoa. Return chicken to the Dutch oven; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Pour slowly into the Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens, about 1 minute.