White Cheddar Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Bake

By johnwhorfin

Brandi Burgess A.K.A. 'Aunt Bee' has been married to the love of her life for 10 years. A Birmingham native, She and her husband helped run her parents successful business for 8 years before finally spreading their wings and setting out to make it on their own. They moved to Huntsville in 2012 where she is a stay at home mom, to their 2 kids ages 10 and 5. She has a passion for cooking for her family and trying new recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast, cooked and chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 3 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 8 oz block of sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed for topping
• 3 Tbsp Butter, for topping

Details

Adapted from auntbeesrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter in a sauce pan and add the shallots. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the flour. Mix well with a whisk until there are no lumps. Add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Add the chili powder, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard. Stir constantly for 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded white cheddar cheese. In a greased 2 – 2.5 quart casserole dish combine the chicken, chicken broth, cooked rice, thawed broccoli and the cheese sauce. Mix well and taste to check the seasonings. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with crushed Ritz crackers and dot with butter. Return to oven uncovered and bake for 10 more or until cracker crumbs start to brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!