Tweaked from Damn Delicious
I’ve been wanting to make a baked broc chicken & cheese dish for a while now. It’s a classic White Spot dish (a beloved Western Canada restaurant chain to any East coasters out there), but this is a lot more every-diet friendly.
Nothing against salads, stir fries, smoothies and other great combos where veggies can co-exist in harmony – but these days it’s all about putting a particular vegetable on a pedestal – at the center of the plate.
In 2015 we find ourselves in the middle of a “vegetable-forward movement” – not even necessarily vegetarian – but celebrating veggies for what they are: not only health food but trend food.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 large head broccoli, cut into baby florets
2 Tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
2 organic chicken breasts, sliced into bite-size chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil)
2 Tbsp flour (regular, gluten free or brown rice all work)
2 cups milk (coconut, regular or other)
1½ cups daiya cheddar cheese (or normal cheese if that’s ok)
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using coconut oil and a piece of paper towel, oil up a baking dish (about 9 by 13”).
2. Heat a little coconut oil in a pan and add the chicken. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned. Then, remove from heat and set aside.
3. In the same pan (save dishes!), add the butter (or coconut oil) and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk, cooking and whisking for about 4 minutes – until it thickens up a bit.
4. In the same pan, add the cooked quinoa, broccoli, chicken, 1 cup cheese and Greek yogurt; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine and cook until broccoli is slightly softened but still has bite.
5. Transfer the broc mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese. Place into oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
