By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 4, 2026
Serves 6
255 cal · 65 min
Stuffed Tomato Chicken
Recipe GLPR30c036f5ccc2b0
Tender chicken thighs combined with fluffy quinoa and wilted spinach, nestled inside hollowed tomatoes and glazed with sweet barbecue sauce. A nutritious, wholesome main course that's naturally dairy-free and high in fiber.
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Ingredients
2 chicken thighs, skin and bones removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups cooked red quinoa, cooled
8 large tomatoes, cored and hollowed out
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 cup sweet barbecue sauce
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, removing any skin and bones. Set aside.
Carefully core each tomato and hollow out the interior using a spoon or melon baller, leaving a sturdy shell about 1/2 inch thick. Chop the tomato flesh and set aside separately from the shells.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled quinoa, chopped fresh spinach, bite-sized chicken pieces, chopped tomato flesh, and Italian bread crumbs. Mix gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Divide the quinoa-chicken mixture evenly among the hollowed tomato shells, packing gently so the filling is secure but not compressed. Arrange the stuffed tomatoes in the prepared baking dish.
Brush or spoon the sweet barbecue sauce over the top and sides of each stuffed tomato.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the tomato shells begin to soften slightly. The barbecue sauce should caramelize lightly around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, two stuffed tomatoes per person.
Comments
Every ingredient is stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or ALDI, so no special trips needed; quinoa runs $8–12 per pound but feeds six on a modest budget. The 65-minute stated time likely glosses over chicken prep and stuffing, so budget 75–80 minutes total, which suits a weekend dinner better than a weeknight. The dish reheats well if cooled properly, and it bridges Southern comfort (barbecue sauce) with lighter grains in a way that reads naturally to North Carolina tables, though it's not aggressively regional.
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