After a long, stressful day of work, nobody really wants to come home and spend all night preparing a nutritious, filling meal for the family. I don't know about you, but I'd just as soon kick back in a chair with a couple of beers and wait for the delivery guy to show up at the door. Unfortunately, we all know that is rarely--if ever--the case; our families depend on us for sustenance...or, at the very least, look forward to a nice hot meal every night.
Luckily, this is one recipe that should cover all the bases; it's quick and easy, very filling, and possibly even nutritious. To top it off, it can even double as some good old-fashioned comfort food for those blah-type rainy days. Win all around, I say. This is even one that can easily involve the entire family without totally overcrowding the kitchen. Time to round up the troops, gather your supplies, and get ready to put together this classic American casserole!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed (you can also use pre-cooked chicken)
- 2 lbs fresh broccoli (about 4 cups)
- 1 10.75oz can cream of mushroom condensed soup (or cream of celery if you're not a mushroom fan)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3-1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 4tbsp butter, melted
- 2tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
 |
| The chicken, just "browned" on the outsid |
1. Preheat oven to 450°F
2. Chop the broccoli heads into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Put in a saucepan with water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender, then drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium pan. Add the chicken, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink on the outside.
3. Put the broccoli in a single layer on the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish, then layer the chicken on top. Mix the cream of mushroom and the milk, pour over the top, then sprinkle the cheese over that (feel free to use as much as you want--there's no such thing as too much cheese!). Mix the bread crumbs into the melted butter, using as much as you need to achieve a nice, fluffy mixture, then sprinkle over the cheese layer.
4. Place in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until golden-brown and bubbly. Let stand for another 10-15 minutes, then serve with some nice warm rolls. (Serves 6)
There's all sorts of variations on this, too, so please experiment and make it your own! Try different seasonings with the chicken, add some onion into the pan while you're cooking the chicken, use half a can each of cream of mushroom and cream of celery, use grated parmesan instead of (or in addition to) the cheddar.....whatever makes it work best for you and your family. If you've found something that makes this even better, please share it in a comment!
Enjoy!
 |
| The finished product, fresh from the oven. |
