CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

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Photo Credits: dishmaps.com

Although the yellow and green squash give this chicken and rice casserole a colorful appearance, you can use one or the other, if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast half, skinned
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 (8-ounce) zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 (8-ounce) yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add chicken, meaty side down, to pan. Cook 6 minutes or until browned; turn chicken over. Add broth to pan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan, reserving broth in pan. Let chicken stand 10 minutes. Remove chicken from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a large bowl.
  3. Bring broth to a boil; cook, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Add broth mixture to chicken. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add squash to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add squash mixture, rice, and minced rosemary to the chicken mixture, and toss gently to combine.
  4. Place flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; let stand 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup cheese; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, milk mixture, and salt to chicken mixture; stir to combine. Spoon chicken mixture into a broiler-safe 8-inch ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over rice mixture; bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove casserole from oven.
  5. Preheat broiler.
  6. Broil casserole 5 minutes or until golden.

Credits to: myrecipes.com