CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

January 2, 2007 by erin.

This was a great accident. One night, I was thinking about how great my grandmother’s casseroles are, and I suddenly had a major craving for one. Knowing well that a rich and cheesy casserole in NOT on my diet, I began to immediately think about how I could make a healthy version. This is what I came up with. It was a total experiment and, I have to say, a total success.

INGREDIENTS:

8oz grilled chicken
1 cup whole wheat elbow pasta (dry measure)
6oz broccoli florettes, rough chopped
100g chopped sweet onion
50g sliced mushrooms
6oz 50% light Velveta cheese, cubed
½ cup 1% fat buttermilk
3 piece light whole wheat bread (40cal/ slice)
½ cup egg substitute
½ cup low sodium chicken stock
4tbsp zero calorie buttery spray

Seasoning: 2tbsp garlic powder, 1tbsp ground pepper, 1tbsp onion powder, 1tbsp chili powder, 1tsp crushed rosemary, 1/2tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried basil

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray a 2.2 quart casserole dish with fat free cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions until aldente. Drain and set aside. Chop grilled chicken into bite sized pieces, set aside. Toast bread, spray with zero calorie cooking spray and garlic powder, then place bread in microwave and cook on high heat for one to one and a half minutes or until moisture is cooked out. Put dry toast into a bag and crush into crumbs, set aside. Place onion and broccoli in a microwave safe bowl, then cover and cook for three minutes or until broccoli is bright green and slightly crisp. Using the pot you cooked the pasta in, combine pasta, Velveta cheese, buttermilk, egg substitute, chicken stock, buttery spray, and seasonings. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted, then stir in remaining ingredients (except bread crumbs) until well combined. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and spread evenly. Coat the top of the casserole with bread crumbs and bake in a 450 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned and casserole is bubbling. Remove and cool for ten minutes before serving. Serves 3. Serving size: 1/3 casserole dish.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING: 441 calories; 45 carbs; 7g fat

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