Chicken and Cheesy Vegetable Casserole

I have really been digging casseroles lately.  Pick your meat, pick your veggies, pick your starch, add some cheese or dressing and you are ready to rock!

Inspired by a recipe I found online, a recent casserole dinner of mine was filled fresh vegetables and deliciousness.  Even after adding a little bit more cheese that it called for, it still tasted light and healthy.

I love when I can make a filling casserole dish without the processed cans of soups or dressings!  Ready to try?

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

2 Tbsp. butter, unsalted

10 oz. skim milk

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

7 oz. penne pasta

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 (small) heads broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

 

prep time: 15-20 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

servings: 6

Directions

1. Cook and dice chicken and set aside.  Prep vegetables and set aside.

2. Prepare the white sauce by placing the butter in a preheated small sauce pot over medium heat. Once the butter foams, add flour and stir for 1 minute. (Try not to let the mixture turn brown.) Add milk and continue to stir until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir well.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Drain the pasta and prepare a 9×13″ casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

6. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the chicken and chopped vegetables.  Add sauce and mix well.

7. Transfer into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack cheese and cover with foil.

8. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.

Breakdown

Cook and dice chicken, just long enough for it to turn light brown. Set aside.

Prep vegetables and set aside.

Prepare the white sauce…

Place the butter in a preheated small sauce pot over medium heat.

Once the butter foams, add flour and stir for 1 minute.

(Try not to let the mixture turn brown.)

Add milk to the mixture and continue to stir until it starts to bubble.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

(Photo was taken after all of this.)

Add Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese to the sauce.

(I used packaged grated Parmesan.)

I also used a homemade Italian herb mix that we got as a gift.

You can find regular Italian seasoning in the spices aisle.

Stir sauce well.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken and chopped vegetables.

Add sauce and mix well.

Transfer into the baking dish.

Sprinkle with the Monterey jack cheese and cover with foil.

(I shredded my own.)

I used 1/2 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

Feel free to add more, if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted.

(Approx. 5 more minutes.)

Serve and enjoy!