Cheesy Chicken Casserole
2 days ago
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If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner, this Cheesy Chicken Casserole is your answer. It is the perfect make-ahead comfort dish that is great for leftovers and meal prep.
This is my best friend’s recipe that she made for me during supper club. She wanted to make a dish that was lower in carbs to accommodate the health concerns of her children. It’s a heavy cheese dish, but also has a healthy side thanks to the quinoa and chicken. It’s the best of both worlds and was so good I had to have the recipe.
Making the Cheesy Chicken Casserole
Before getting started, preheat the oven to 425 F. Place three to four pounds of boneless chicken breast on a baking sheet, seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil, to roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until done. Then reduce the heat to 350 F.
While the chicken is cooking, pour four cups of water into a pot over high heat and add one tablespoon of butter. Add two cups of quinoa, two bay leaves, garlic powder, dried tarragon, and salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Once the quinoa is fully cooked, remove the pot from heat. If you or your family does not like quinoa, you can substitute it with pasta, and instead make a Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti.
Pour the milk into a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring it constantly. This recipe calls for one finely chopped jalapeño, one diced onion and one diced bell pepper. We recommend using the 7" Santoku to prep all three because it has a super sharp, straight-edge blade that is perfect for smooth chopping, slicing and dicing.
Once the milk comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add the cheese and jalapeño. Stir until the cheese is completely melted. Yes, this recipe calls for one to two pounds of cheese. When it comes to cheese, I like to let my heart lead me. A helpful tip regarding the cheese is that the smaller you dice it, the quicker it will melt.
In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté some onion and bell pepper with two tablespoons of butter and olive oil until cooked.
Use a Santoku-Style Trimmer to dice the cooked chicken.
You could also shred the chicken if you prefer.
Then, add the prepared chicken to a large bowl along with the diced onions and bell pepper.
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish layer in the quinoa, cooked chicken, onions and peppers, and then top with the cheese sauce.
Put the baking dish in the oven at 350 F for about 15-20 minutes or until it bubbles around the edges, then serve. I hope you enjoy this delicious, cheesy casserole as much as we did in the Cutco kitchen!
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds boneless chicken breast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups quinoa
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons dried tarragon
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1-2 pounds white American cheese, diced
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Place chicken breast on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil over top.
- Roast chicken in oven for 20 minutes or until done. Reduce heat to 350 F.
- While chicken is cooking, pour 4 cups of water into a pot over high heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, quinoa, bay leaves, garlic powder, dried tarragon, and salt and pepper.
- Bring pot to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat.
- Pour milk into a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Once the milk comes to a boil, turn off heat, add the cheese and jalapeño, and stir until cheese is melted.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté your onion and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil until cooked.
- In a large bowl, dice or shred the cooked chicken and add the onions and bell peppers.
- In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish layer the quinoa, then the chicken, onions and peppers, and top with the cheese sauce.
- Put the baking dish in the oven at 350 F for about 15-20 minutes or until it bubbles around the edge.
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