Comfort food that is healthy and cheesy without the guilt!
Jason and I are planning a short getaway for his graduation. We will fly to Cabo, where he has been studying architecture for three years. This is his last vacation. Since I still have two months before the bikini season begins, I decided to lighten up my favorite comfort food.
This dish is completely made from scratch, with a healthy mix of ingredients. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of cheese and creaminess. There are also quinoa and vegetables for extra protein. If Jason, a lifelong quinoa hater, ate this dish without looking, then I’m certain that even your pickiest eaters would love it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- One head of broccoli, finely chopped and cut into florets
- Divided into two tablespoons of olive oil
- Panko*, 1/3 cup
- Three thinly sliced, boneless, and skinless chicken breasts
- To taste, add Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
- Two tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan or spray with nonstick spray.
- Cook quinoa in a large pan with 2 cups of water according to the instructions on the package. Add broccoli to the top of the quinoa during the last five minutes of cooking. Steam until it is cooked.
- In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add Panko, and stir until browned, for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. To taste, season chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to the skillet and cook them, flipping each side once, for 3-4 minutes. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces; set aside.
- Melt butter on medium heat. Stir in flour for about a minute until it is lightly browned. Continue whisking while adding milk gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli with 1 cup of cheese and Greek yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle with Panko if you wish.