Chicken, Broccoli and Ziti Casserole

My mom and I went to the Philadelphia Flower Show on Tuesday (pictures to come). We had a late lunch and I wasn't very hungry come dinner time, so SP decided to pick up some fun snacks for dinner. I wanted to make sure we had something for lunch the next day so I made a Chicken, Broccoli and Ziti casserole from the latest issue of Cook's Country:


This recipe made a mountain of food. We still have about 3/4 of it in the fridge. I loved the fresh bread crumb topping and you really can't go wrong with chicken, broccoli and pasta in a creamy sauce. Definitely a winner, although I'd cut the recipe in half next time.

Chicken, Broccoli and Ziti Casserole
Cook's Country April/May 2008
Serves 8

4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups grated Asiago cheese
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons melted
Salt and pepper
1 pound ziti
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) cut into thin slices
12 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces

Pulse bread, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup Asiago cheese and melted butter in food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook ziti until al dente. Drain in colander and rinse under cold water until cool.

Melt remaining butter in the empty pot over medium heat. Cook onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and whisk for 1 minute, then slowly add wine and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and broth, bring to a boil and add chicken. Simmer chicken until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from the heat and stir in remaining cheese.

Meanwhile, microwave the broccoli, covered with plastic wrap, in a large bowl until bright green and nearly tender, 2-4 minutes depending on your microwave. Add cooked broccoli and drained ziti to the pot, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with bread crumb mixture and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges and crumbs are toasted, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. (Casserole can be assembled, minus the bread crumbs, 24 hours in advance. Bring to room temperature before adding bread crumbs and baking).