cheesy chicken, rice and broccoli casserole

perfect meal for leftover rice! this is a great casserole to use your fav veggies in! throw in mushrooms, green peas, asparagus, or even green chilies. switch it up by using different cheeses. for a crunchier topping, add some breadcrumbs to the cheese. also, you can leave out the meat for a great side dish for the holidays or entertaining. double up this recipe and freeze!
ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil -
- 2 tablespoons butter -
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into cubes
- 1/2 onion - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika -
- 3 tablespoons flour -
- 1 cup chicken stock -
- 1 cup carnation milk -
- 3 cups broccoli florets - blanched, drained and dried
- 3 cups cooked rice -
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese - divided
instructions:
- preheat the oven 375 degrees.
- add oil and butter to a large pan over medium high heat. add the chicken breasts pieces to the hot oil/butter and season with salt/pepper to taste. saute the chicken over medium high heat. add in the chopped onion, garlic and paprika. continue to saute for a few minutes until the onions are slightly tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- sprinkle the flour over the chicken mixture and drippings. toss the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes allowing the flour to brown a bit. slowly add in the chicken stock and carnation milk, scraping the bits off bottom of pan. stir; allow to thicken. add in the broccoli, rice and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, mixing well. taste, season the mixture with salt/pepper to taste and pour into the prepared casserole dish. top with remaining cheddar cheese.
- bake in the preheated for 15 - 20 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese has melted. put under the broiler to brown the cheese further, if desired.
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