HEALTHIER BROCCOLI CHICKEN CASSEROLE
This healthier Broccoli casserole recipe is formed together with your choice of pasta, tender chicken and broccoli, and therefore the most delicious creamy cheddar sauce .
Healthier Broccoli casserole
Raise your hand if you grew up eating broccoli chicken casserole! Make that two hands if yours always included a can of cream of mushroom soup! Ah, what can we are saying , it’s what all of the cool kids were doing back within the 80s. ♡ For those of you who still crave an honest throwback casserole every now then nowadays, I even have a contemporary version today that i feel you're getting to love.
It’s made with all of the classic components from the broccoli casserole recipes of my childhood, just freshened up a touch to bring us into 2019. We’re talking lots and much of broccoli (you can use fresh or frozen), tender chicken (feel liberal to use a rotisserie as a shortcut), your choice of pasta (I used whole-wheat, but any kind will do), and much of sharp cheddar (get the great stuff!). Then in lieu of canned cream of mushroom soup, this broccoli casserole recipe features a simple homemade creamy sauce instead, made with many fresh mushrooms and zesty seasonings to make sure that this casserole is anything but bland.
It’s modern, creamy, cozy food at its best. and obtain ready, because it disappears during a flash.
Let’s make some chicken casserole!
Broccoli casserole Recipe
CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS:
Ok! Before we get to the complete recipe below, let’s mention our shopping list. to form this broccoli casserole recipe, you'll need:
Pasta: Literally any sort of pasta that you simply love best will work here — traditional (semolina), whole-wheat, gluten-free, egg, or the other sorts of alternative-grain pastas that you simply prefer.
Broccoli: you'll either use fresh broccoli (about 1 large head, dig florets) or frozen broccoli (about 1 pound) for this recipe.
Mushrooms: i really like the flavour of baby bella (cremini) mushrooms during this broccoli casserole recipe. But any of your favorite mushrooms will do.
Creamy sauce stuff: Butter (or olive oil), onion, garlic, flour, stock (chicken or veggie), milk (any kind), Dijon, salt and pepper.
Sharp cheddar cheese: i actually recommend buying a block of good-quality aged sharp cheddar for this recipe, then shredding it yourself.
Chicken: Any cooked chicken will work for this recipe! you'll use my favorite baked chicken breasts recipe or sauté two breasts in vegetable oil during a skillet until cooked through. Or for a shortcut, be happy to shred a rotisserie chicken.
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
HOW TO MAKE THIS CASSEROLE:
To make this broccoli casserole recipe, simply…
Cook the pasta and broccoli. Cook the pasta during a large pot of boiling water (don’t forget to generously salt the water!) until it's hard . But — plot twist! — toss the broccoli florets into the water about 1 minute before the pasta is completed cooking to offer it a fast cook too. Drain both.
Make the sauce . Meanwhile, we’ll work on the sauce. Sauté the onion, followed by the mushrooms and garlic in butter (or oil) until softened. Stir in some flour and let it cook for 1 minute (this will help to thicken the sauce). Then add within the stock, milk, Dijon, salt and pepper, and cook until the sauce reaches a simmer. Stir in half the shredded cheese, taste, and adjust any seasonings as required .
Put everything together. during a large 9 x 13-inch baking dish, give everything an honest toss — the cooked pasta, broccoli, sauce and chicken — until combined.
Bake. Bake uncovered for quarter-hour . Then remove pan from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheddar evenly on top of the casserole, and bake for 10 more minutes or until the cheese is good and melty.
Enjoy! Serve nice and warm, garnished with extra black pepper and/or fresh herbs, if desired.
See full recipe instructions below.
Broccoli Cheddar casserole Recipe
POSSIBLE VARIATIONS:
Want to customize this chicken broccoli casserole recipe? be happy to…
Use a special protein: Cooked sausage, pork, steak, or shrimp would all be delicious during this casserole in situ of chicken.
Use rice rather than pasta: to form classic chicken and rice casserole, cook 1 cup of (uncooked) rice consistent with package instructions. Then stir it into the casserole as you'd the pasta.
Use a special quite cheese: If cheddar isn’t your thing, this casserole would even be delicious with a mixture of good-quality mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Or some kind of spicy pepperjack would be delicious too!
Add fresh herbs: be happy to feature in some fresh Italian herbs (such as parsley, basil, rosemary or thyme) if desired.
Make it vegetarian: We made a vegetarian version to check this recipe by just omitting the chicken, and therefore the broccoli casserole was great on its own. Or, of course, you’re welcome to feature some extra veggies to the combination also .
Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta, then thicken the sauce with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. (Or you'll stir a couple of tablespoons of gluten-free cornstarch into the cold milk before adding it to the sauce.)
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces uncooked pasta* (I used whole-wheat rotini)
1 large head of broccoli*, dig bite-sized florets (about 1 pound of florets)
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 Pieris rapae onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar , divided
2 cups diced (or shredded) cooked chicken
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 400°F.
Cook pasta during a large stockpot of generously-salted boiling water until it's hard . However, about 1 minute before the pasta is completed , add the broccoli to the boiling pasta water and stir until combined. Drain both the pasta and broccoli, and put aside .
Meanwhile, heat the butter (or oil) during a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté for five more minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushrooms are cooked through.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onion mixture and stir until combined. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add within the stock, and stir everything together until most of the clumps are gone. Add within the milk, Dijon, salt and pepper and stir until combined. Continue cooking the sauce until it reaches a simmer. Then remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese until it's combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
In a large 9 x 13-inch baking dish, combine the cooked pasta, broccoli, sauce and chicken. Toss until combined. Smooth the casserole out into a good layer.
Bake uncovered for quarter-hour . Then remove pan from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheddar evenly on top of the casserole, and bake for 10 more minutes or until the cheese is good and melty.
Serve warm, garnished with extra black pepper and/or fresh herbs, if desired.