Delicious Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

So...the past two weeks have been incredibly hellish, as it was finals time. I have three exams to prepare for: biology, chemistry lab, and chemistry. Ugh. It was awful, but I survived. 

Whilst studying is incredibly important, it is also awful because it is hard work and because it is all consuming. I mean, all work and no play. Studying also proved detrimental to my because it made me fall back into a lot of bad habits that I have been trying to break. Eating junk, eating out of boredom, feeling that I am "too busy" to exercise...I was getting really paranoid, especially since I have significantly lost fat around my belly, am down about 8 lb, and have built lots of muscle! 

Not wanting to undo all of the good I have done and wanting to still eat healthily, I forced myself to stop studying for a bit and make this delicious chicken and broccoli casserole. I found this recipe on foodgawker, but I made some modifications. To save time, I used a pre-cooked roast chicken and I tried to cut out calories by using egg beaters and fat free half and half, rather than the original mayo, whole milk cream, etc... 

I was pleasantly surprised by not quick and how delicious this casserole came out! I also loved the fact that the casserole was large enough that I could save some to freeze or eat for future lunches/dinners. I think this is a family pleaser, since the broccoli isn't too overwhelming, but it's also a great meal that you can make ahead of time! I will definitely be making this again in the future! 

Ingredients:
- 1 roast chicken or 8 boneless chicken thighs*
- about 2 lb broccoli florets
- 1 onion
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 eggs or use equivalent amount with egg beaters**
- 1 small 6 oz container plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk or half and half
- table salt (about 1 tsp)
- black pepper (about 1 tsp)
- garlic powder ((about 1 tsp)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bag shredded cheese***
- 15 whole grain crackers (I used Breton)

*you can buy raw chicken and cook it yourself, but buying the roast saves time
** I used eggbeaters. If you get the cups, not the cartons, 1 cup is roughly 2 eggs
*** you don't have to use the whole thing...it depends on how much cheese you like
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Prepare the broccoli. Wash and drain. 
3. Prepare broccoli for roasting. I threw all of the broccoli in a bowl and lightly tossed it with olive oil and salt/pepper/onion powder/garlic powder . Prepare a baking tray, lined with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Transfer broccoli to tray and let roast for about 15 minutes. 
4. In the meantime, chop up your chicken into bite sized bits. You want at least 1 lb or so.
5. Once your have prepared your chicken, you need to make the liquid filling. I like to think of it as the "glue of the casserole", which fuses the chicken and broccoli. Mix the seasonings, milk, yogurt, and eggs together. 
I used a whisk to ensure even mixing and no clumps.
6. Remove broccoli from oven and let it sit for a few minutes. 
7. In a prepared baking pan, place the chopped chicken in the dish. This will be your bottom layer.
8. Since your broccoli is likely still cooling, take a few minutes to crush your crackers. This will be your topping for the casserole. I just crushed them with my hands. Made me feel like Hercules.  

*NOTE: ONCE YOU TAKE THE BROCCOLI OUT OF THE OVEN, LOWER THE TEMPERATURE TO 350F. 
9. Add the broccoli to the dish, piling in on top of the chicken. 
10. Now that your chicken and broccoli are layered, add the creamy liquid mixture. 
11. Cover broccoli with cheese. How much cheese you want to use is up to you.
12. Finishing touch...add the crackers! 
13. Let the casserole bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. (or until the top is crispy)
Et voila! Enjoy!

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