Crustless Chicken Asparagus Quiche

Last summer, I fell in love with the Green Market Baking Book!  Each chapter represents a different season and features produce one is likely to find in abundance at the farmer's market or in the CSA basket.

One of the first recipes that caught my attention was a crustless (Daddy Moose and I try to eat a low carb/whole grain carb diet) vegetarian yellow squash quiche.  It was intended as a side dish, but we're a quiche kind of family, so I immediately set to work adapting it to include meat so we could enjoy it is a main dish.

Over the months I have tried several combinations (based on what we were in the mood to eat and what vegetables were readily available) and am finally prepared to share it with the world (or at least my half-dozen or so followers).

Without further ado, I give you a Crustless Chicken Asparagus Quiche (adapted from the Green Market Baking Book):

Ingredients:

•   Olive oil spray
•   Onion
•   1.5C shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2%)
•   3Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
•   1tsp poultry seasoning
•   1C fresh asparagus tips
•   1.5C cooked chicken chunks
•   1C half and half
•   4 large eggs
•   0.25tsp salt
•   Fresh parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and spray an 8 in. metal pie plate with olive oil spray.

 2. Thinly slice onion.

3. Line the bottom of the pie plate with the onion, cutting circular pieces where necessary to cover as much of the surface area as possible.

4. Sprinkle cheddar, Parmesan cheese, and poultry seasoning evenly over the onions.

5. Sprinkle asparagus tips evenly over the cheese.  (Note: you could easily substitute canned asparagus tips - thoroughly drained - or leftover steamed asparagus cut into one-inch pieces)

6. Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.  (I used frozen grilled chicken strips - thawed; you could also use leftover baked chicken)

7. Sprinkle chicken evenly over the asparagus.

8. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together half and half, eggs, and salt.  Pour over remaining ingredients in the pie tin.  If you'd like, you can add a little fresh parsley on top.  (I meant to do this, but I left the quiche for Daddy Moose to pop in the oven at the appointed time while Moose and I were at Ikea, and forgot to mention the parsley to him.)  You can also sprinkle the top with cheese, if you so choose.

(Note: this recipe is easy to assemble ahead of time and cook when you're nearing mealtime; I assembled at naptime for dinner yesterday.  Depending on how long it has been in the refrigerator, you may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.)

9. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let rest for five minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 4 servings as a main course (or 6-8 as a side dish).

This recipe happily works with nearly any meat, cheese, and veggie combination.  Stay tuned for my bacon cheeseburger version, Italian, and Mexican variations.  Happy quiching!  

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

Linking up with Mouthwatering Monday at A Southern Fairytale.