CHICKEN/RICE/BROCCOLI CASSEROLE IN ALFREDO SAUCE

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Chicken/Rice/Broccoli Casserole in Alfredo Sauce image

It's getting cold outside, and the falling leaves are carpeting the grass in multi-hued colors of browns, reds, yellows and oranges... It's Autumn, and time for some hearty soups, stews, and casseroles. I played around with this one in the test kitchen, while I was cooking, so when I started, I wasn't sure what was going...

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Categories     Poultry Appetizers

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 17

ALFREDO SAUCE
2 Tbsp sweet butter, unsalted
3 clove garlic, minced, about a tablespoon
4 oz cream cheese, room temp, and cut into 8 cubes
1 c whole milk
1 c parmesan cheese, freshly grated
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
salt, kosher variety, to taste
THE CASSEROLE
2 large chicken breasts, brined/cooked/diced
2 Tbsp sweet butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
1 1/2 c white rice, cooked al dente
4 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced/sautéed
4 oz broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces (raw)
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, sautéed
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs

Steps:

  • 1. Gather your ingredients. At this point, I usually show you all the ingredients; however, since I started this recipe with no clear idea of what I was going to put into it... I didn't have a photo of the ingredients.
  • 2. Cook the rice according to package directions, and shave a few minutes off the cooking time.
  • 3. Chef's Note: Standard rice calls for twice the water to the uncooked rice. For this recipe of 1.5 cups of rice, use 1/3 less water.
  • 4. Cut up the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and reserve.
  • 5. Chef's Tip: We will leave the broccoli raw, when adding to the casserole. The results are just the perfect amount of crunch.
  • 6. Clean the mushrooms, remove the stems, and then thinly slice.
  • 7. Finely dice the onions, and reserve. I forgot to take a photo of this step. My Bad.
  • 8. Add two tablespoons of butter to a skillet over medium high heat.
  • 9. Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onions, to the pan.
  • 10. Sauté the mushrooms and onions until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • 11. Remove from pan, and reserve.
  • 12. Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse, and then slice into bite-sized pieces.
  • 13. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet over medium heat, and cook the chicken until most of the pink is gone.
  • 14. Remove chicken from the pan, and reserve.
  • 15. Wipe the skillet out, and reserve for the Alfredo sauce.
  • 16. Chef's Note: You could always do the Alfredo sauce in a nice sauce pan, but why bother... this keeps the kitchen mess down to a minimum.
  • 17. Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350f (176c).
  • 18. THE ALFREDO SAUCE
  • 19. In the skillet add the butter, and melt over medium heat, until the foaming subsides.
  • 20. Add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • 21. Chef's Note: Keep the garlic moving, and don't allow to brown or burn.
  • 22. Add the cream cheese to the pan, and begin to whisk into the garlic.
  • 23. Chef's Tip: If you use low-fat cream cheese, it will taste a bit grainy after making the sauce.
  • 24. Stir using a whisk until the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  • 25. Chef's Note: It may look a bit curdled at first, but keep whisking, and it will smooth out nicely.
  • 26. Add the milk, about a 1/4-cup at a time, and whisk until each addition is fully incorporated.
  • 27. Chef's Tip: Many Alfredo sauces call for heavy cream, but resist that temptation. The cream will make this dish way too rich.
  • 28. Add the Parmesan cheese; plus the pepper and salt, to taste
  • 29. Whisk until fully incorporated.
  • 30. Add the rice, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and chicken to a large bowl.
  • 31. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the ingredients, and fold together, until mixed.
  • 32. Pour the ingredients into a baking dish.
  • 33. Top with the panko breadcrumbs.
  • 34. Chef's Note: To kick it up a bit, I added some freshly ground black pepper, and some cayenne to the panko breadcrumbs before adding to the casserole.
  • 35. Place into the preheated oven, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
  • 36. Chef's Note: Mine went the full 40 minutes, and in the last 10 minutes, I turned the oven temp up to 400f (205c), to brown the top a bit.
  • 37. Chef's Note: This came out exactly the way that I hoped it would. The dish had just the right amount of seasoning without being too heavy. And it wasn't too wet or too dry.
  • 38. Serve with a nice side salad, and some crusty French bread. Enjoy.
  • 39. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Edmond Oriekwun
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This casserole is a must-try! You won't be disappointed.


Raki Islam
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This casserole is a winner! It's easy to make, affordable, and absolutely delicious.


Cordelia Malai
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I've tried many chicken rice broccoli casseroles, but this one is by far the best.


Roza's Cosmetics
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This casserole is a keeper! It's easy to make, delicious, and a hit with my family.


Ruhan Ruhan
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I'm definitely going to make this casserole again. It's a great recipe to have in my back pocket.


BOSS MR
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This casserole is perfect for a potluck or a party. It's easy to make ahead of time and it's always a crowd-pleaser.


sunil gurung
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I would recommend this casserole to someone who is looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal.


Kiran Saduzai
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Overall, I thought this casserole was just okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either.


boy boy
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The casserole was too salty for my taste. I would have used less salt in the Alfredo sauce.


Laura Shade
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The chicken was a little dry. I think I would have cooked it for a shorter amount of time.


Chichawatni cerket Sohail ahmad
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This casserole was a little bland for my taste. I would have liked it to have more seasoning.


Anum umar
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I'm not a huge fan of Alfredo sauce, but I really enjoyed this casserole. The flavors were well-balanced and the sauce wasn't too heavy.


Tricia Okungu
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I made this casserole for a potluck and it was a huge success. Everyone loved it!


Yasmin Altaee
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This casserole is perfect for a weeknight meal. It's quick and easy to make, and it's always a hit with my family.


Lissette Nieves
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I love that this casserole is a one-dish meal. It's so easy to just throw everything in a baking dish and let it cook.


Sheri Lake
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The Alfredo sauce was rich and creamy, and it really brought all the flavors together.


Honda Accord
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The chicken was moist and tender, the rice was cooked perfectly, and the broccoli was still slightly crisp.


Mobile Basnet
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I've made this casserole several times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser.


sfsumon 54
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This chicken rice broccoli casserole was a hit with my family! It was easy to make and tasted delicious.