A casserole can provide whole grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy in one serving.  

To help make it a quick weeknight dinner, precook chicken on the weekend to be used in a few dishes that week. You can also prep your veggies ahead of time to make it even quicker.   

For those of you with even less time (and energy!) you can use frozen broccoli and rotisserie chicken.   

Don’t like mushrooms, want to add cauliflower, prefer zucchini?  Any of your favorite veggies, or what you have on hand, will do. 

Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole 

Ingredients: 

• 8 oz whole wheat rotini (or GF* brown rice or legume pasta)  
• 1 large head of fresh broccoli, cut into florets 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 8 oz fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced 
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 3 tablespoons flour (or corn starch for GF*) 
• 1 cup chicken stock (or broth) 
• 1.5 cups milk 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper 
• 8 oz shredded cheddar (~2 cups), divided 
• 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded 
• 2 stalks green onion, diced 
• Cooking spray or oil 

 

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. 
2. In a large pot, cook pasta according to directions for “al dente” or just undercooked AND… 
3. During the last minute of cooking pasta, add broccoli to cook, then drain.  Cover and keep in pot. 
4. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat olive oil over medium and add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. 
5. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. 
6. Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed onion/mushroom mixture and stir to coat. 
7. Add chicken stock, milk, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and heat until simmering. 
8. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of the shredded cheese, stir to combine. 
9. Combine mixture above along with the chicken, to the pasta and broccoli, stir to combine. 

YOU CAN STOP HERE AND SERVE OR … 

1. Lightly coat a 9×13” casserole dish with cooking spray, place contents in dish and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. 
2. Add an additional 1 cup cheddar to top of casserole and bake for 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. 
3. Garnish with freshly diced green onions and serve. 
4.  

Serves 8 

Nutrition per serving: 296 Calories, 8.3g Fat, 30.7g Carbohydrates, 4.5g Dietary Fiber, 24.6g Protein, 483mg Sodium      *GF is Gluten Free 

Contact Lisa B. Smith, RDN with Shining Mountain Health & Wellness, Southern Ute Indian Tribe with any questions! Email: lismith@southernute-nsn.gov