Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Wild Rice Casserole

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups frozen broccoli florets

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

3/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated, divided

2 cups cooked whole grain wild rice blend

Cooking spray

1/4 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

Heat oven to 350F. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Season with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a large bowl.

In the same skillet, heat another 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Add garlic, onion, and broccoli. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft and broccoli is bright green. Pour into bowl with chicken.

Turn heat to low and add remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Sprinkle flour over oil and whisk to make a paste. Slowly add milk, whisking to combine. Stir in cheese and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Remove from heat.

Add rice to chicken and broccoli in the large bowl. Stir to combine. Gently stir in cheese sauce.

Spray a 9x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread rice mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and breadcrumbs.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve hot

Comment:  This is totally delicious!  I did make one change.  I sprinkled mine with French fried onions instead of the panko breadcrumbs.  So, so good.  And healthy too.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9 servings (1 cup each)
Amount per serving
Calories	218
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 3g	15%
Cholesterol 34mg	11%
Sodium 189mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Total Sugars 4g
Includes 0g Added Sugars	0%
Protein 17g
Vitamin D 1mcg	5%
Calcium 146mg	11%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 283mg	6%

Chicken & Spinach Alfredo

8 oz. egg noodles 2 cups Alfredo Sauce 1 cup Ricotta Cheese 1 pkg (10 oz.) spinach, chopped, thawed and drained 1 egg ½ cup Parmesan Cheese 2 cups Italian Cheese Blend 1 tsp. garlic powder ¼ tsp. pepper ½ tsp. salt 2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Cook egg noodles according to package directions and set aside. In a medium bowl combine egg and ricotta cheese. Whisk in the parmesan and half the Italian cheese. Add the seasonings.  In a large bowl mix the chicken, noodles and spinach.  Fold in cheese mix and Alfredo sauce.  Pour into a large baking dish and bake for 15-20  minutes or until hot in the center.  Sprinkle with remaining Italian cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Serves 8-10

Comment:  I made this and froze half for another day.  The flavor is delicious and the only thing I might change would be to add a few mushrooms. 

CHICKEN & SPINACH PIZZA

Calories 200 (approx) 

Servings 12

1 flat, frozen pie crust

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced rosemary

8 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped

3/4 cup plain marinara sauce

6 oz. cooked, shredded chicken breast (see note below)

1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated part skim mozzarella cheese

Thaw the pie crust by letting it stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place on a foil lined baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Add oil and garlic to a large skillet and cook over low-medium heat, until garlic is fragrant and slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Be sure to stir it and watch it so that it does not burn. Pour oil from the skillet into a small bowl. Add minced rosemary to the oil and let stand. Keep garlic in the skillet. Add spinach to the skillet and cook over medium-high. Use tongs to toss it. Cook until just wilted, about a minute and a half (you don't want to overcook it or have a lot of liquid released). Remove from the heat and let stand at room temperature for ten minutes. Drain any liquid released from the spinach and combine it with marinara sauce, shredded chicken breast, and ricotta cheese. Stir well to combine. Drain any excess liquid out. Spoon the spinach chicken mixture evenly on the pie crust.  Sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Bake at 450F until dough is lightly browned, about 15 to 17 minutes and center is bubbly. Let cool slightly before slicing into 12 pieces.

Comment:  I used ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken.  Make sure to omit the skin. Six ounces yields about a cup and a half. Enjoy the rest of the chicken for a different meal.  This dish is delicious.  The original one called for puff pastry and it made a Stromboli.  I decided to use the pie crust and make a pizza.