One Pot Chicken and Rice

Oh little blog, how neglected you are!  I've been cooking and crafting away since the holidays, but not taking time to enter the fun details here.  This recipe is the perfect example.  I made it for the first time December 10th (according to the date stamp on the photo) and have easily made it a half dozen times since then.  Each time I have to go to the pin, rather than using my own tweaked notes!  Crazysauce.  So let's try to remedy that, shall we?

The original recipe comes courtesy of Natasha's Kitchen, and kudos to her for finding such a flavorful way to pull these common ingredients together.  I've tried other chicken and rice casseroles that included broccoli and cheese but somehow failed to come together as well as this one does.  I'm also happy to share that after just a couple times making this recipe, I was able to find the tweaks I needed to get it just right in my eyes.  One of those involves knife skills.  Fun!

One Pot Chicken and Rice

Prep time: 15 minutes  Cook time: 30 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks (skinny sticks, ~2" long; see tutorial here), though I prefer julienne
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine, such as Chardonnay (or 1/2 cup water:1/2 cup chicken broth mixture)
• 5 cups hot chicken broth (I usually warm it up in a separate pot, which makes this a two-pot meal, but you can microwave it, too)
• 2 cups Jasmine rice
• 1 head garlic, top and some of the peel cut off but leaving root in tact (see here)
• 1/3 cup fresh curly parsley (not flat leaf), chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Directions

1. You definitely need to prep all of your ingredients beforehand!  Have them nicely laid out in the order you'll need them.
2. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a dutch oven (large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid) on medium/high heat.  Stir in onion, carrots, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and turn heat down to medium.  Sautee until soft and golden, 8-10 minutes.  If onion begins to brown too quickly, turn heat down to medium/low.
3. Add chicken, the other teaspoon of salt, pepper, and bay leaves.  Saute until chicken is golden all over, 5 minutes.
4. Turn the heat up to high and add the white wine.  Boil down the wine, scraping the bottom, until most of the wine has evaporated (3-5 minutes).
5. Add the hot chicken broth, then stir in the rice.
6. Nestle the cut and partially peeled head of garlic into the center of the pot.  Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.
7. Turn off the heat, scoop out the garlic head and discard, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and incorporated.  Then stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Serve with a small sprinkle of Parmesan on top.

Looks so great as it all cooks up!  I can taste it now.  Gaah!

Easy Chicken and Orzo

Another reliable dish for my weeknight meal lineup is this delicious Parmesan and basil orzo from My Tiny Oven with some diced Italian chicken mixed in.  Simple, tons of flavor, and even better you just set things to cook and walk away for most of the cook time.  Love it!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups orzo
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 6 tablespoons fresh basil
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt/pepper to taste
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Italian seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Place chicken in a baking dish and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.  Bake 28-35 minutes or until cooked through.  Cut into bite-size pieces.
2. While chicken bakes, prepare the orzo.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the orzo and saute for a few minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown (5-10 minutes).
3. Add the chicken stock, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until stock has been absorbed.
4. Remove orzo from heat and stir in the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and cooked chicken.  Serve with additional salt and/or Parmesan on top.

Tasty tasty!

Honey Lemon Chicken with Herbs

I recently came across this tasty looking pin on Pinterest, but it was one of those convoluted goose chases.  The link goes to an image, which goes to a web page in another language.  At least Chrome translated well enough for me, and the original pin had the basics covered in the description.  Cue some adaptations and winging it and I came out with a really flavorful way to make chicken!  I can't WAIT to give this a go on the grill.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts; recommended to make with skin on, though I didn't
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Optional- reserve the used lemon to cut slices as garnish
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (I used Penzey's Parisien Bonnes Herbes)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.
2. Mix garlic, lemon juice and zest, honey, olive oil, and herbs in a small bowl.  Arrange chicken on prepared baking dish, and brush with honey lemon mixture on both sides.
3. Bake 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until fully cooked.  If using lemon slices as garnish, place on chicken during the last 10 minutes.

I recommend making this with my cheesy zucchini bake, which is what I did last night.  YUM.  Each dish had a lot of flavor, but they complimented each other rather than overwhelmed.  Definite keeper.  And like I said, I can't wait to try this chicken recipe on the grill.  I'm sure it'll be amazing.

Update:  Grilling is just as yummy!  My husband really liked that approach.  Just placing the chicken directly on the grill, though, I lost the herbs so it left a stronger lemon flavor without as much of the herb flavor.  Perhaps using a grill tray or something else would help keep more of the herbs in tact!  I also have no idea why one piece came out all grillified looking and the other looks the same as when I made these in the oven.  *shrug*

Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Peas and Chicken

This is one of the recipes I've put together using my Tastefully Simple purchases!  Using their Artichoke & Spinach Warm Dip Mix with some typical pasta dish components adds a ton of flavor and makes this more of a special meal than "I tossed things in a pan."  I'm not getting anything from Tastefully Simple for this, just sharing a yummy recipe idea for one of their products.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 prepared packet's worth Artichoke & Spinach Warm Dip Mix from Tastefully Simple, along with required ingredients
• I always use Swiss cheese when I prepare mine
• 1 chicken breast
• 1/2 pound (1/2 box) short pasta
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.
2. Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
3. While pasta is cooking, prepare dip according to package directions.  Set aside.
4. Heat frozen peas according to package directions
5. Remove chicken from oven and dice into bite-size pieces.
6. Drain pasta when done cooking and return to pot.  Stir in dip and chicken, and mix until well combined.  Gently stir in peas.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I'm not kidding when I say that I have several months worth of old recipes and projects saved on my computer, just waiting to be written up into blog posts.  This is just the first of many catch up posts.  :)

This casserole I found on Pinterest is a great way to get the flavors of chicken enchiladas in a simpler way, without all that hand rolling of individual enchiladas.  I really loved it, and just wish my guys enjoyed Mexican food as much as I do so I could make this more often.  Instead, I get to wait for the next Pinterest party to make this yummy dish.

Ingredients

• 2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4.5-oz can diced green chilies, drained
• 10-oz can green enchilada sauce
• 4 medium corn tortillas (9", burrito size)
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake in a pyrex dish 25-30 minutes until cooked through.  Keep oven heated to 375°.
2. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces in stand mixer.  Add cumin, chili powder, garlic, black beans, enchilada sauce, and green chilies.  Mix on low speed until well combined.
3. Spray an 11 x 15" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Place 2 tortillas on the bottom of the dish, then spread half of the chicken mixture on top.  Spread half of the sour cream on top in an even layer and sprinkle with half the Mexican cheese.  Repeat layers.
4. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes until cooked through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Marinated Lime Chicken

This is a really tasty dinner that doesn't take much work, and got approvals all around the dinner table.  I've made this a couple times now, but found out it's hard to photograph it in an "ooo that looks yummy!" way.  Anyway, thanks to Rachel Schultz's blog for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a ziplock bag.  Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over chicken.  Shake/wiggle bag to coat chicken evenly.
2. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop and settle in.
3. Preheat oven to 375° (or grill- mmm).  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with Pam, and set chicken on top.  Pour any marinade from the bag over the chicken.
4. Bake for 27-35 minutes or until fully cooked.  I recommend serving with rice, which you can prepare while the chicken bakes.

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

I honestly don't remember how I came across this recipe.  I think I may have had it on a calendar, and then tracked down the recipe online.  Either way, this recipe has been good to me, and is so super simple.  Betty Crocker makes it easier on you with canned pineapple chunks, but I like the real deal fresh stuff.  And more of everything.  But it's essentially the same recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1-2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces (I always wish I'd opted for 2 when I just have 1 on hand)
• 1-2 cups of pineapple chunks, either from a can or cut fresh
• 1 cup Teriyaki sauce

Directions

• Marinate chicken in Teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes in refrigerator.  
• Heat grill to medium-high if using gas, or just pile on the briquettes for charcoal. 
• Discard marinade, and skewer chicken, peppers, and pineapples.  I prefer metal skewers.
• Cook about 4 minutes per side with the grill cover closed.  Serve when chicken is cooked through.

You'll get 2 servings out of this, and it's so easy to bump up the portions.  I'd say 1 1/2 skewers with a side salad is enough for an adult serving; 1 skewer for a kid.  And seriously, my son devours these kabobs.  Mister fickle picky eater himself is a fanatic for grill food.  Never mind how healthy this meal is for him- he polished off two servings.

Baked Chicken and Bean Burritos

A few years ago, my department at work pulled together recipes from our very talented employees and made up a cook book.  It was funny how quickly that cook book became the source for many of my weeknight staples.  My husband liked to tease me that for all the cook books I had, I pretty much only used 2: Martha Stewart and the one from work, haha.  Anyway, one of my favorites from the cook book is one from my friend Marian.  I can never find green salsa to pour on top, but otherwise I'm pretty loyal to her recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups shredded, cooked boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese (half of an 8-ounce block, when crumbled, will fill 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4.5-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
• 16-ounce can refried beans
• 8-inch flour tortillas
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and bake at 375° until cooked all the way through (about 25 minutes).  Shred cooked chicken.  I prefer to shred it with my stand mixer, set to medium for about 1 minute, using the metal flat beater attachment.
2. Preheat the oven to 500°.
3. Add cheese, onions, cumin, garlic, and chilies to the shredded chicken.  Mix on low until evenly incorporated.
4. Spread 1/4 cup of beans down the upper third of each tortilla.  Top the beans with 1/2 cup of chicken mixture.  Fold in the sides and roll up.
5. Place rolled tortillas, seam side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Coat the tops of the burritos with cooking spray as well.
6. Bake at 500° for 7 minutes.  (Optional: serve with green salsa.)

Yum yum yum yum yum!

Chicken Florentine with Spinach Balls

I've loved chicken florentine for years now, and tried a few attempts at making it myself.  Last night's dinner was by far the winner.  The taste was amazing, my house still smells wonderful, and I was really happy with my approach to including spinach with the meal.  Giada never disappoints!  Adapted recipes work, too!

For this meal, I definitely got everything prepped and measured out beforehand.  I popped the spinach in the oven and then heated up the pan for my chicken to get that going.  The chicken cooks so quickly, I wouldn't have had much time to measure/prep simultaneously.  Also, this approach resulted in my spinach finishing a few minutes before the chicken.  Full disclosure. :)

Spinach Balls

Ingredients

• 10 ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and well drained.
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/8 cups stuffing with herbs (I used Pepperidge Farm)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of salt

Directions

Note: I've mentioned before that I'm impatient.  Thawing and draining spinach is no exception.  You really REALLY have to do this, or you'll get soupy weird spinach goo instead of a nice mixture you can shape into balls.  So fair warning there.  Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything...

1. Mix all ingredients until well combined.
2. Scoop a generous tablespoon of spinach mixture and form into a ball (about 1").  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam.
3. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.  Makes approximately 30 balls.  Serves 4-6.

While the spinach balls bake, cook the chicken.

Chicken Florentine

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine.  I actually used 3/4 cups white wine and 3/4 cups chicken broth.  It tasted great!
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

1. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Dredge the chicken in flour to coat lightly, and shake off excess flour.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 5 minutes each side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.
3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and saute until the shallots are translucent, about 1 minute.  Be sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the wine and/or broth.  Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.  Add the cream and boil until the sauce is reduced by half, about 3 more minutes.  Stir in the parsley.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper (I didn't think it needed any).  Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat.
4. Serve the chicken with a spoonful of onions and sauce on top and a serving of spinach balls as a side. YUM!

Spiced Honey-Brushed Chicken

My family's favorite chicken recipe is this one, adapted from Cooking Light.  Simple, fast to cook, and packed with tons of flavor.  I served it tonight with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts.  YUM.  If you've made it to adulthood without learning that Brussels sprouts are actually delicious, just try making them the way I do.  Once.  That's all I ask!  What do you have to lose?  A few dollars on produce?  Just dooo iiit.

For the Brussels sprouts
Ingredients

• 1/2 to 1 lb small Brussels sprouts (the smaller the better)
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.  Trim stems off sprouts, cut in half vertically (stem to top, as seen in picture), and remove any loose outer leaves.
2. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Scatter sprouts in a single layer on sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly.  Some leaves will blacken and fall away, but that's fine.
4. Set aside while you broil chicken.  Put sheet back in oven last 2 minutes while chicken is cooking to keep the sprouts nice and hot.

For the Chicken
Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.  Combine spices in a small tupperware container and shake to mix.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place chicken on top.  Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.  Use ALL of it!
2. Broil chicken 5-7 minutes on each side.  While broiling, combine honey and vinegar in a small prep bowl, stirring well to thoroughly mix.
3. Brush 1/2 of the honey mixture on the chicken.  Broil an additional 1 minute.  Take chicken out of oven, flip to other side, and brush with rest of the honey mixture.  Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

Creamy Goat Cheese, Chicken, and Vegetable Pasta

I cannot put into words how delicious the sauce is for this pasta dish.  Suffice it to say I just wanted to lick the pan while it was still hot, it was so good.  Yay to the Pinterest gods for bestowing another amazing dish into my culinary repertoire.  Yay for Gimme Some Oven, too.  I will caution you though, that this meal involves 3 things happening simultaneously so lots of jumping around and stirring in sequence.  This is a meal to make when you've got some energy.  This is definitely one of those meals where you get your ingredients all lined up before hand, and have to read the recipe thoroughly first.  No doing it as you go on this one.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 bunch (about 15 skinny stalks) asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2" pieces
• 8 oz fresh button or baby bella mushrooms, halved
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Directions

1. Set a pot of generously salted water to boil for the pasta.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and the center is no longer pink.  Remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl.
3. Add pasta to the boiling water.
4. Now things get fun.  You're going to cook both the vegetables and the sauce at the same time.  Prepare yourself!
5. Add shallots and garlic to the large pan you cooked the chicken in, adding more oil if needed (I did not one time when I made this; needed more another time).  Saute for 2 minutes, then add the asparagus and mushrooms.  Continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove skillet from heat.
6. While the vegetables are cooking, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk quickly to combine, then let cook for 1 minute.  Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water, the goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low and stir occasionally until the pasta is ready.  If the sauce is too thick, gradually add small portions of pasta water until you thin it out to your taste.  Mine was just fine without thinning, though.
7. Drain the pasta when cooked, and immediately toss pasta in the large pan with the vegetables,  chicken (but not the juices), and the cheese sauce.  Serve garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.
8. Try not to lick the serving spoon.  I dare you.

I just had to share that I made it again a couple nights ago, in my brand new apron!

And now I have a new pic to share too, this time with a different kind of noodle. :)

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

I love to make this for dinner once fall gets here and there are so many great veggies to cook!  Really the only staple ingredients are chicken, vegetables, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil.  The rest can be changed around however you like and to your tastes.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 acorn squash, seeds removed and cut into slices
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 6 red potatoes, quartered
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 stalk of celery, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Penzeys Old World Seasoning (or poultry seasoning or season salt)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add the vegetables and garlic to a large roasting pan or casserole dish.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasoning.  Toss to coat.
3. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.  Season generously with salt, pepper, and seasoning.
4. Roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

THAT'S IT.  I swear this is the best meal to make.  10 minutes of chopping veggies followed by a half hour to relax while your house smells amazing and you get such a great meal with so little effort.

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

I can't say enough how much I love Martha Stewart recipes.  The flavors are just soooo good!  I always forget how much I like this recipe, and really should make it more often.  I modify it a bit to use less ginger (I really don't like ginger) and red pepper flakes (because I'm a wuss about spicy food), and I prefer green leaf lettuce for the cups.  It seems to cooperate better than the Boston lettuce.  I had apple cider with this dinner, and it was an awesome compliment to the spicy chicken.  Yum.  My way or Martha's, you're sure to have an awesome meal to pat yourself on the back over!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, halved horizontally and then thinly sliced crosswise. I use two large chicken breasts, or four thin-cut chicken breasts (skipping the step to halve horizontally as they're already thin)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger (I recommend using a microplane for the grating; I always scrape my knuckles when I try to use a regular grater for ginger)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• 6 to 8 green leaf lettuce leaves (for wraps; about 1 head)

Directions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until opaque throughout (2 to 4 minutes).  Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, along with the onion and bell pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is tender and golden (about 4 minutes).  Reduce the heat if browning too quickly.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the pan.  Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (30 to 60 seconds).
4. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture.  Remove from the heat.  Add the chicken and any acumulated juices, tossing to coat.  Serve in lettuce cups.

Serves 4

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I have Pinterest to thank for yet another recipe my husband told me I could definitely make any time I wanted to.  I am way jealous of the picture they used!  My only modification was to use thicker slices of Swiss cheese because we liked the casserole extra cheesy.

Ingredients

• 6 oz package chicken flavored stuffing mix
• 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (I baked mine with salt and pepper)
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups cooked ham, cut into cubes (1 inch or smaller)
• 8 slices Swiss cheese (thick cut for a cheesy casserole; thin for lighter casserole)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake the chicken (10 minutes for thin chicken breasts, up to 30 minutes for thick).
2. While the chicken is cooking, do your prep work cutting up the broccoli and ham.
3. When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven and start to prepare the stuffing mix as directed on the package.  Let the stuffing cook while you cut up the chicken.
4. In a large bowl, mix the soup and mustard.  Stir in the chicken, broccoli, and ham.
5. Spray a 3-quart or 2-quart casserole dish* with cooking spray.  Spoon in the casserole mixture, top with the cheese slices, and then top with the stuffing.
6. Bake 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

*The original recipe said to use a 2-quart casserole dish, but I've been using a 3-quart casserole dish.  I'd say the smaller dish will probably give you a more saucy casserole, that will take longer to cook, than the 3-quart dish would.  Choose whichever method gives you the kind of food you prefer!