Chef notes
This casserole can be made ahead and it freezes beautifully for an easy weeknight supper.
Ingredients
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk, 2 percent
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cups water, divided
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning, like Emeril's Original Essence
- 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets, separated
Preparation
To make the sauce:
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and generously grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Be generous because this casserole really sticks to the sides.
2.Bring the chicken broth and 1/2 cup milk to a low boil in a saucepan.
3.Whisk the other 1/2 cup milk with the poultry seasoning and flour; add the mixture to the boiling liquid and whisk until a smooth, creamy sauce forms.
To assemble the casserole:
1.In a large bowl, mix the sauce from step 1 with 1 cup water, quinoa and bacon. Then stir to combine.
2.Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and lay the chicken strips over the top of the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with the seasoning. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
3.While the casserole is in the oven, place 6 cups of broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute until the florets turn bright green and then run them under cold water. Set aside. Save the rest of the broccoli in the refrigerator to use in this quiche recipe.
5.Remove the casserole from the oven, check the mixture by stirring it around in the pan and, if needed, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to get the right consistency.
6.When the quinoa and chicken are cooked, and the sauce is thickened, add the 3 cups of broccoli and a little bit of water (up to one cup) until the consistency is creamy and smooth and you can stir it up easily in the pan.
7.Top with the cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or just long enough to melt the cheese.
