Creamy Chicken Broccoli & Rice Casserole

I love a good chicken and rice casserole but most of them call for a can of condensed cream of something soup, which has a lot of sodium in it. Last night I decided to come up with my own version of this without using a cream soup for the base. Here is what I came up with and it was so delicious!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans of low-sodium chicken broth (roughly 3 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice (you can use white rice, just change up the cook time)
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/2 cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 2/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook chicken in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add rice, broth, and seasoning. Bring to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 35 minutes.
2. Toss broccoli florets and milk into saucepan with rice and chicken, stir and cover. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
3. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with remaining cheese and leave over heat for 5 minutes. Once cheese is melted you are ready to serve.

I serve a nice side salad along with this dish.