Ever since my husband made old school tuna noodle casserole, we’ve been a bit obsessed with casseroles at my house. I also recently made this amazing rice a roni chicken casserole for the second time, if you missed out on that recipe. This current casserole was also delicious. It has tender chunks of seasoned chicken, pasta, and broccoli in a creamy cheddar sauce and it is topped with shredded cheddar and fried onions.
This was another one of those meals that I couldn’t stop eating. I used reduced fat milk in the sauce and other than the cheese this dish is actually decently healthy. You don’t have to include the fried onions on top, but I highly suggest that you do, because that add a nice little extra pop to this dish. This recipe makes a whole 9×13 pan, so I froze after after I cooked it and we will eat that for an easy meal another night.
Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta of your choice I used rotini
- 1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- 12 oz small broccoli florettes you can use fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups reduced fat milk I used lactose free
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar divided
- fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Heat a pot of water to boil, add salt, and cook pasta according to package until al dente. 1 minute before the pasta is done, add the broccoli in order to lightly cook it. Drain and rinse under cold water, then place back into the pot.
- Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, as well as the garlic and onion powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Add the onion, garlic, and butter and stir. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well.
- Slowly add the stock while stirring so the flour doesn't form lumps. Once it is smooth, add the milk in the same way. Stir in the mustard. Allow to simmer for a minute or two then add 2/3 of the shredded cheese and stir. Taste the sauce and adjust the amount of salt/pepper/mustard. Pour over the pasta/broccoli and mix well. Pour into the baking dish. Cover with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 more. Finally add the fried onions on top and bake 5 more minutes or so until they are browned. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
One thought on “Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Casserole”