Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Bountiful Baskets provided us with three bunches of broccoli and two bunches of spinach last Saturday! So I was on the hunt for a good recipe that would use both ingredients and wasn't a soup, I think my family is souped out! I ran across this for a casserole that called for canned chicken (yuck!), frozen broccoli, and no other veggies besides an onion. I made it better by using fresh ingredients, adding more veggies, flavor, and some love. My family loved it!

 

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups uncooked instant brown rice
• 2 large chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups fresh chopped broccoli
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 "bunch" spinach leaves, cleaned and torn in half
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Mix in the instant rice, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand about 5 minutes.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, mix the prepared rice, chicken, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, butter, milk, heavy cream, broccoli, onion, garlic, bell pepper, spinach, cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with a nice salad and a hearty bread for a complete meal the whole family will love.