Cooking

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

As I’ve proven before, I’m a casserole girl. The thought of a grain, a meat, vegetables and a sauce baking away in the oven makes me want to swoon. But what does a girl like me do in the summertime when heavy casseroles are pushed aside for lighter dishes. Well my good friends, I make Chicken and Broccoli Casserole. The egg noodles make it not seem so heavy as does the thinner sauce. Not that this is any wimpy sauce. No no.

Because, you see, its chock full of yummy Gruyere, Parmesan and wine. Giving it just enough flavor without significantly weighing it down.

Lordy do I love cheese. I also love the way that it melts so wonderfully into this sauce and the way the wine really comes to life when the Gruyere hits it. The two go so well together I’m thinking of arranging a marriage. Dowry anyone?

Like any good casserole its all about the layers. First with the egg noodles.

Then the chicken. I grilled some up with All-Season but I’ve often used leftover chicken from a previous nights dinner. I’ve also used shredded rotisserie chicken when I’m feeling abnormally lazy.

Next the broccoli. This was left over from the previous nights dinner but you could cook it fresh. I like to use about a large head’s worth of florets.

Then the sauce. Now we’re getting somewhere! Now notice that the sauce is still pretty runny. It won’t be gravy-thick. It should hit the bottom and give the noodles a really yummy bath. Now that I think of it I wonder how much I would need to make for ME to take a bath in this sauce…

Then a liberal amount of bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese for a crispy crust. I like to spray it with Pam just to make sure it doesn’t burn. You could easily use melted butter if you’re feeling saucy. Get it…saucy. Ah nevermind.

Now check that out! Have you seen a summer casserole so glorious in your life? I say nay. Also like any good casserole its always better in leftovers. There are two of us and this usually feeds us for at least a few days. Enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper
Roughly 10 oz chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
Roughly 1-2 cups broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1 cup Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 bag egg noodles
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Roughly 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I sprinkle by eye)
Additional Parmesan for sprinkling
Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat and wisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Wisk in chicken stock, wine, salt and pepper, garlic powder and onion powder until well combined and slightly thickened. Stir in cheeses. Stir until melted and let simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles, drain and put them into a large casserole dish. Add chicken and broccoli over noodles and pour sauce over the top. Sprinkle generously with bread crumbs and a little extra parmesan. Spray with butter flavored cooking spray and cook for 30 minutes in the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

4. Devour.

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