Hello dear readers! It's been a few days since I posted a recipe but I assure you I've been hard at work developing and testing new dishes to share with you. I'm particularly fond of this one-dish-wonder. Not only because it tastes delicious, but because it can be prepared in just one pan, with minimal mess. I don't know about you, but one of the things I dislike most about our current living situation is how my house never feels clean. Phyllis Diller once said, "cleaning the house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing." With four people and two pets barely leaving the place, it's a no-win daily snowstorm of dirt. And the abundance of dirty dishes I have rivals what we make when entertaining a crowd. No matter how often I run my dishwasher, my sink is never empty, because cooking and eating all three meals a day at home does fill the sink rather quickly. Thank God for this easy one-pan meal. It's just the thing when your day is already packed with endless cleaning. I present to you, Chicken Broccoli Rice Bake.
A happy little one pan dinner
There's nothing new or exciting about this casserole, but it is really yummy, and relies on no cans of "cream of whatever" to make a delicious sauce (not that there's anything wrong with that). Uncooked rice, fresh or frozen broccoli, chicken breast and cheddar cheese come together in the most comforting way, all in one pan. Then buttery cracker crumbs and fresh chives top it off and give it a little texture. Add a salad on the side and you've got a complete meal in about 30 minutes. And your sink can breathe easy, at least for one night.
Wrap a dish towel around the handle of your pan when it comes out of the oven - trust me, I learned the hard way (ouch!)
Chicken Broccoli Rice Bake (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or breast tenders, cut into small bites
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 tsp better than bullion chicken flavor or 1 chicken bullion cube
1 cup heavy whipping cream (can sub 1/2 and 1/2 to reduce calories and fat)
1 (12 oz) bag frozen broccoli florets, defrosted (or about 2 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. divided
1/4 cup crushed buttery cracker crumbs (like Ritz)
1 tbsp fresh snipped chives (or 2 tsp dried chives)
Method:
Heat oven broiler. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in an oven safe large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and cook about one minute more, until fragrant. Raise heat to medium high. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Stir in rice, cream, bullion and 1 cup of broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until rice is al dente, about 15 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese, broccoli, and the remaining cup of broth. Continue cooking until broccoli is tender and rice is ready, about 10 more minutes. Taste to check seasoning and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle top of casserole with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter. Mix cracker crumbs with butter and chives and top casserole. Place under broiler and broil until topping is crisp and golden brown. Keep an eye on it because it happens fast. Serve from the pan (tie a dish towel around the handle of the pan because it will be hot) with salad on the side.
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