Description
This Healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole is a comforting and satisfying dish that’s perfect for any day of the week. A creamy mushroom sauce coats tender chicken, broccoli, and pasta, all baked to cheesy perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta:
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta* (whole-wheat rotini)
Broccoli:
- 1 large head of broccoli*, cut into florets (about 1 pound)
Mushroom Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 small white 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 shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Additional:
- 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 400°F.
- Cook Pasta and Broccoli: Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Add broccoli for 1 minute, then drain both.
- Make Mushroom Sauce: Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir in flour, stock, milk, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Simmer and stir in 1 cup cheese.
- Assemble: Combine pasta, broccoli, sauce, and chicken in a baking dish.
- Bake: Bake uncovered, then top with remaining cheese and bake until melted.
- Serve: Garnish with black pepper and fresh herbs.
Notes
- Pasta: Any type will work—traditional, whole-wheat, gluten-free, or alternative-grain.
- Broccoli: Use 1 pound of thawed frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 82mg
