Hearty Mexican Casserole with Chicken & Quinoa

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the rinsed uncooked quinoa, drained black beans, store-bought salsa, chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and two minced garlic cloves. Transfer this mixture into the greased baking dish.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until quinoa is cooked.

While quinoa is baking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the minced jalapeno, sliced onion, bell peppers and remaining salt. Sauté until tender-crisp and set aside.

Season the diced chicken with the taco seasoning and smoked paprika. In the same skillet, cook the chicken until it's browned but not cooked all the way.

Once quinoa is done baking, stir in the partially cooked chicken, half of the sautéed vegetables and 1/2 cup of the shredded Pepperjack cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven. Top with the remaining sautéed vegetables and shredded Pepperjack cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.