Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili

There’s something about those first cool nights of the season, something that makes me want to curl up on the couch with a bowl of soup and watch one of my favorite shows (like Sleepy Hollow, which I’m currently obsessed with). While our nights have been cool and have involved eating dinner in the living room, they’ve been anything but relaxing. It seems like the hustle and bustle of the season starts earlier each year, and I’m already feeling pressure to break out the Christmas decorations (which, by the way, I won’t be doing since I haven’t even gotten our fall/Thanksgiving ones out yet). Between Christmas party invites, trying to figure out if and when we’re traveling for Thanksgiving and, you know, that little renovation we have going on, I want to throw my hands up and yell “enough!” I just need time to slow down. I’m not ready for the holidays, and I’m certainly not ready for 2014. Like it or not, though, those things are coming faster than I want to believe.

Since we have things to get done before the holidays really hit us full force, dinners around here have been quick and easy. I’ve been utilizing my slow cooker more than ever. If you could see the state of our kitchen, you would understand why. There’s very little prep space, and it’s still only partially floored. Even though I have plenty of slow cooker recipes saved, the easy prep is what drew me to this one. There’s chopping, but there’s no cooking on the stovetop before everything is placed in the slow cooker. Another bonus – this recipe made plenty for us to freeze and have later, which is sure to come in handy on those nights we’re chasing daylight to cut more floorboards.

Chili is perfect for this time of year, and this recipe is a great way to change up the usual flavors. I’ve never cooked quinoa in a slow cooker, but I was really happy with how it held up during the long cook time. This chili was hearty and comforting, and we enjoyed it for several lunches during the week.