Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Bake - PCOS-Friendly Recipe

Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Bake
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Servings: 6
Dinner

Nutrition per Serving

352 Calories
23.1g Protein
30.55g Carbs
16.29g Fat
Mexican enchiladas turned into a quick and hearty bake.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz chopped green chilies
  • 2 cups red enchilada sauce
  • 15 oz reduced sodium black beans
  • 2 1/4 cups quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken breast
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsps olive oil
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Using 1 1/4 cup of water, cook quinoa according to package directions. Rinse and drain the black beans.
  2. Heat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Spray an 8" baking dish with Pam.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil and onion, cook 5 minutes or until onion is soft.
  4. Reduce to low. Add quinoa, chicken, black beans, green chiles, chili powder and enchilada sauce, stir to combine. Remove from heat.
  5. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Transfer quinoa mixture to baking dish. Top evenly with remaining cheese.
  6. Bake 10-15 minutes.
  7. Turn oven to broil. Placing baking dish about 5 inches from broiler, broil 1-2 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
  8. Remove from broiler and serve.

How This Recipe Supports PCOS Management

Understanding the nutritional profile of what you eat is a powerful step in managing PCOS. Here is how the key ingredients in this Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Bake contribute to your health goals:

  • Chicken: Protein-rich meals help manage insulin resistance common in PCOS
  • Black bean: Support blood sugar control and provide sustained energy
  • Quinoa: Has a lower glycemic index than most grains, making it ideal for PCOS
  • Olive oil: Anti-inflammatory properties make it especially beneficial for PCOS
  • Onion: Support cardiovascular health and blood sugar regulation

PCOS Diet Principles in This Recipe

The PCOS diet focuses on three core principles: reducing inflammation, managing insulin resistance, and supporting hormonal balance. Every recipe in our collection is evaluated against these principles. This recipe excels in providing protein-rich ingredients that help regulate appetite hormones (ghrelin and leptin), and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that support cell membrane health and hormone synthesis. As part of a balanced PCOS meal plan, we recommend pairing recipes like this with a variety of nutrient-dense foods throughout the week to ensure you are meeting all your micronutrient needs.

Meal Prep Tip: This Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Bake can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Meal prepping is one of the most effective strategies for sticking to a PCOS-friendly diet, as it removes the temptation to reach for processed convenience foods when time is short.

PCOS-Friendly Foods in This Recipe

This recipe contains the following foods that may benefit PCOS management: Chicken Breast.

Skinless chicken breast, often heralded for its lean nutritional profile, is undeniably a powerhouse when it comes to protein content. With an impressive 21 grams of protein packed into every 100 grams of the breast, it emerges as a preferred choice for those conscious about their protein intake. Delving deeper into the nutritional matrix of chicken, one can't overlook the copious amounts of vitamin B6 it houses. This particular vitamin plays an indispensable role in our body, especially when di...

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