CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

By Julia Kjaer

Delicious dairy free casserole recipe with shredded chicken, sautéed mushrooms and broccoli in a creamy, nut-based sauce. The sauce needs to be made overnight and it's fantastic, and you'll use it on lots of other dishes as well.

Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: CASSEROLE, dairy-free, whole30

Ingredients

VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE (make this the day before)

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (baker's yeast)
  • 3/4 tsp Sel Magique Classic Blend
  • 1/4 tsp rosemary, dried
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

    CHICKEN

    • 4 chicken breasts, boneless
    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • 3/4 cup chicken broth
    • Sel Magique Spicy Blend

    CASSEROLE

    • 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (above)
    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • 2 heads broccoli, florets removed
    • 10 cremini mushrooms, sliced
    • 1/2 small onion, diced
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • 1 cup vegan alfredo sauce (the full yield from above)
    • Sel Magique Spicy Blend to taste
    • Fresh rosemary, for garnish

    Instructions

    VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE (make this the day before)

    • After the cashews have soaked overnight (or at least 6 hours), drain and rinse them.
    • Add the cashews and all other ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
    • Use immediately in the casserole, or store in a sealed container in the fridge.

    PREPARE THE SHREDDED CHICKEN

    • Prepare the casserole's chicken base by first cooking the chicken breasts. We're using a blend of searing & steaming the meat for the best flavor.
    • Use a large skillet with a lid, and heat 2 tbs of olive oil over medium heat and place the chicken in the skillet. Season the chicken with a generous dash of Sel Magique Spicy Blend and a grind of fresh black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken. You want a nice golden sear on the cooked side (it adds to the flavor).
    • Add the chicken broth, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
    • Remove the chicken from the pan and shred the chicken. Use two forks to shred the chicken, or you can use a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment on the mixer and lock the tilt-head down and increase the speed to 2. The chicken will be instantly shredded in 15 seconds. If you'd like extra moist chicken, you can add any remaining liquid from the pan to the shredded chicken and toss to combine.

    PREP THE CASSEROLE

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
    • Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onion and stir for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli florets (make sure they're in bite-sized pieces and not too large) and stir for another 3 minutes or until the broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green.
    • Place the shredded chicken in a 9x13-inch casserole dish, covering the bottom. Add the sautéed mushrooms, onions and broccoli in a flat layer on top.
    • Stir the chicken broth into the Vegan Alfredo sauce, then pour on top of the broccoli in the casserole dish. Use a spatula if needed to make sure everything is well coated.
    • Cook the casserole for 20-25 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling and slightly reduced and thickened. Garnish with fresh rosemary if desired and serve immediately. Enjoy!
    • Recipe from downshiftology.com