HEALTHIER BROCCOLI CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Easy and
healthy broccoli chicken casserole with lots of gravy, no soft pasta and
crunchy broccoli. No canned soup, cheese top and kids love it!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta* (I used whole-wheat rotini)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups diced (or shredded) cooked chicken
- 1 large head of broccoli*, cut into bite-sized florets (about 1 pound of florets)
- 8 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
INSTRUCTIONS
First, Heat
the oven to 400 ° F.
Then, Cook
the pasta in a large pot of boiling water, generously salted until al dente.
However, about 1 minute before the end of the pasta, add the broccoli to the
boiling water of the pasta and stir until everything is mixed.
Drain pasta and
broccoli and set aside.
Meanwhile,
heat the butter (or oil) in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the
onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and garlic
and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mushrooms are
cooked through.
Sprinkle the
flour evenly over the onion mixture and stir until combined.
Cook 1 minute,
stirring occasionally. Add broth and mix until most tufts are gone. Add milk,
Dijon, salt and pepper and stir until combined. Continue cooking the sauce
until simmering. Then remove from heat and stir in 1 cup grated cheese until
combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
In a large 9
x 13-inch baking dish, combine cooked pasta, broccoli, mushroom sauce and
chicken. Mix until combined. Smooth the casserole in an even layer.
Cook
uncovered for 15 minutes. Then remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the rest
of the cheddar cheese evenly over the casserole and cook another 10 minutes or
until the cheese is melted.
Serve hot,
garnished with extra black pepper and / or fresh herbs, if desired. Happy
Cooking Time.
