Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal because it is so quick and easy to put together. (It serves approximately four.)

What you'll need...

2 large or 4 small chicken breasts (approximately 16 oz total), cubed and browned with salt and pepper
1 small yellow onion, finely diced and sauteed til clear
1.5-2 cups steamed broccoli
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
1 cup of shredded cheese - you can use any kind...I used a combination of six cheese italian and mozzarella b/c that is what my refrigerator had available to me
Italian Bread Crumbs or Panko - I used Italian last night
2 cups of uncooked instant brown rice

What to do...

1. After your chicken is browned, chop it to finer pieces and put in large mixing bowl.
2. Add sauteed onions, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, broccoli and cheese to the bowl. Stir to combine all ingredients well.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass baking dish that has been lightly treated with non-stick spray.
4. Lightly sprinkle bread crumbs over the top.
5. Bake (uncovered) at 350 for 30 minutes.

For the rice, cook as directed on the box. You don't have to use instant or brown, but those are my preferences. Cook enough for the number of servings you need at that time. I only needed two servings, so I only used one cup - just follow directions on your box of rice for serving size guidance.

I like to add flavor to my rice. Instead of cooking in water, I use chicken, beef or vegetable stock, and to the stock, I add a tsp of olive oil, one half to one tablespoon of whatever seasoning I want to use, salt, black pepper and parsley. I bring that to a boil and add the rice. Then, follow directions for cooking time. With instant, I simmer for about 10 minutes - until all the liquid is gone.

For this meal, I used 1 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 Tbsp of garlic powder in the rice.

When everything is ready, evenly spread a serving of rice over your plate, and then scoop out the casserole and spread it over the rice. Below is whatcha get!

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We loved this, and we will definitely be having it again! Also, we'll probably try it with different ingredients and maybe pasta or orzo instead of rice some time. That's the great thing about casseroles with cream of chicken - anything can go and taste delicious! ;)