Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

Broccoli Filling

• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1/2 lb.)
• 4 cups cauliflower florets (about 1/2 lb.)
• 3 broccolini florets (about 1/2 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 sweet onions, cut into small dice
• 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cheesy Sauce and Assembly

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter plus more, room temperature, for cans
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk plus 1 1/2 cups milk, room temperature
• 2 cups coarsely grated sharp white cheddar
• 1 cup coarsely grated Havarti cheese
• 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 4 tablespoons panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound kale, mustard greens, or Swiss chard, stems trimmed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Recipe Preparation

Chicken

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add butter and chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes; slice thinly on a diagonal.

Broccoli filling

• Working in batches, cook broccoli in boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute; drain and immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Repeat process with cauliflower and broccolini.

• Heat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat; add butter, onions, shallot, and garlic and cook until lightly golden and very tender, 10–12 minutes. Add blanched vegetables and cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large stainless-steel bowl. Add chicken and cooked rice; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cheesy Sauce and Assembly

• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until frothy, about 1 minute. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups cold milk and cook, whisking constantly, until roux thickens, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups room-temperature milk and cook, whisking, for 10 minutes. Whisk in cheeses and continue whisking until completely melted, about 5 minutes; add vinegar and lime juice and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crème fraîche and season to taste with salt and cayenne.

• Brush bottoms and sides of ramekins with room-temperature butter and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. panko over bottoms of ramekins, dividing evenly. Fill each ramekin 3/4 full with broccoli-chicken mixture; pack down with the back of a spoon and generously top with cheesy sauce. Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 Tbsp. panko. Bake until breadcrumbs are brown and sides of casseroles are bubbling, about 35 minutes.

• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly wilted. Add remaining greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Divide greens equally among wide bowls; run a knife around inside of each ramekin to loosen casserole, then turn out on top of greens. Garnish with thyme, parsley, and lemon zest.

Watch the video: The Best Broccoli Ever! Quick u0026 Healthy Recipe for Baking Broccoli (June 2022).