Lemon Herb Chicken Quinoa One-Pot

Name: Lemon Herb Chicken Quinoa One-Pot
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes, patted dry, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (2½ ml) freshly ground black pepper; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced, minced fine; 1 medium (50 g) shallot, diced, diced fine; 1½ cup (300 g) white or tri-color quinoa, uncooked, rinsed thoroughly under cold water; 3 cup (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tsp (4 g) lemon zest, finely zested, from about 2 lemons; ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems, chopped; 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh oregano leaves, chopped; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, finely chopped; 1½ cup (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved, halved (optional); 2 cup (60 g) fresh baby spinach (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant one-pan Mediterranean dinner featuring tender chicken breast, fluffy quinoa, and fresh herbs infused with bright lemon and garlic. Everything cooks together in about 30 minutes, making cleanup a breeze while flavors meld beautifully.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 40 min
Makes: 4 servings

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes, patted dry, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced, minced fine
1 medium (50 g) shallot, diced, diced fine
1½ cup (300 g) white or tri-color quinoa, uncooked, rinsed thoroughly under cold water
3 cup (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp (4 g) lemon zest, finely zested, from about 2 lemons
⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems, chopped
1 tbsp (3 g) fresh oregano leaves, chopped
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, finely chopped
1½ cup (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved, halved (optional)
2 cup (60 g) fresh baby spinach (optional)

Equipment (4)

5-quart (5 L) Dutch oven or heavy pot with tight-fitting lid
Meat thermometer
Fine-mesh strainer
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels so they brown properly
Rinse quinoa under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer
Have all herbs and lemon zested and juiced before you start
Use a 5-quart (5 L) Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid

1
Season and sear chickenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Season the chicken cubes with ½ tsp of the kosher salt and ¼ tsp of the black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart (5 L) Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat (about 375°F/190°C if using an oil thermometer).
- Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown but not cooked through (it will finish cooking in the broth).
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Chicken is golden on all sides but still pale inside when cut
Tip: Don't crowd the pan—if all the chicken doesn't fit in a single layer with space between pieces, cook in two batches. Crowding drops the temperature and causes steaming instead of browning.
2
Build the aromatic base
- Reduce heat to medium.
- In the same pot, add the minced garlic and diced shallot, stirring often for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Stir in the lemon zest, thyme, and oregano, cooking for 30 seconds more until the herbs release their oils.
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Ready when: Garlic and shallot are soft and golden, herbs are fragrant
Tip: Cooking the garlic gently at medium heat prevents it from burning and turning bitter.
3
Add quinoa and broth
- Stir in the rinsed quinoa, coating it evenly with the oil and aromatics (this prevents clumping).
- Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot.
- Add the remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
- Stir well to combine.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly mixed and the liquid comes to a simmer
Tip: Rinsing the quinoa under running water removes saponin, a natural coating that can taste bitter. Skipping this step noticeably affects flavor.
4
Simmer coveredOven 190°F / 90°C
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low (about 190°F/88°C), cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- The quinoa will absorb the liquid and the chicken will finish cooking.
- Do not stir during this time—let the grains cook undisturbed.
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Ready when: All liquid is absorbed, quinoa grains are tender and translucent with a tiny white spiral visible, chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internally
Tip: Keep the lid on during cooking—lifting it releases steam and can leave the quinoa undercooked or the chicken dry.
5
Add greens and fresh herbs
- Remove from heat.
- If using the spinach and/or cherry tomatoes, stir them in now along with the fresh chopped parsley.
- The residual heat will wilt the spinach in 1–2 minutes.
- Let the pot sit covered for 2 minutes more to meld flavors and allow any remaining liquid to absorb.
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Ready when: Spinach is bright green and wilted, parsley is well distributed
Tip: Adding delicate greens and fresh herbs at the end preserves their color and fresh flavor—they don't need cooking.
6
Taste and serve
- Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa gently with a fork.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Divide among four bowls or plates and serve warm.
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Ready when: Quinoa is fluffy, chicken is tender, bowl is hot and fragrant
Tip: Fluffing with a fork instead of stirring keeps the quinoa grains separate and light rather than mushy.

Good to know

Tips

This dish is naturally gluten-free because quinoa is a seed, not a grain. Verify that your chicken broth is also certified gluten-free if this matters for your table.
For a deeper, more herbaceous flavor, add 1 tbsp of fresh dill or tarragon along with the other herbs in step 2.
If your lemon is large or small, taste your final broth before adding all the juice—you want brightness without sourness. Start with 2 tbsp and add more to taste.
To make this meal even more Mediterranean, serve with crumbled feta cheese, toasted almonds, or a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pot over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth to restore moisture (about 5 minutes). Freezing is not recommended as quinoa and cooked chicken become mushy upon thawing.

Substitutions

white or tri-color quinoa, uncooked → farro or pearl couscous (use the same weight or volume). Both are heartier grains that hold up well to cooking with broth. Farro may take 5 minutes longer; adjust broth amount slightly as both absorb liquid differently than quinoa.
fresh thyme leaves → 1 tsp dried thyme leaves. Use one-third the amount of dried herbs by volume since they're more concentrated. Add with the oregano in step 2.
boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes → Turkey breast cubes or skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks. Turkey cooks at the same rate as chicken breast. Thighs will be more forgiving and juicy but may need an extra 2–3 minutes of simmering.
fresh baby spinach → Chopped kale, arugula, or diced zucchini. Kale can be added earlier (last 2 minutes of simmering) so it softens. Arugula and zucchini should be added at the end like spinach.