Cast-Iron Casserole

Time :1 hour 15 minutes
Yield :4 servings

The Scoop

This is the kind of dinner that quietly takes over the kitchen and makes everyone show up without being asked.
This is the kind of dinner that quietly takes over the kitchen and makes everyone show up without being asked. And it takes just one skillet to bake everything together so that you don’t have to worry about cleaning up afterwards. 
It’s exactly the kind of meal you want to make when you need zero drama. 
Hack it:
Broil at the end, but watch it closely; golden turns to burnt fast.
Turkey fillets would work just as well for this recipe, so use what you have in your fridge.
Use brown rice for a fiber-rich meal, and increase the rice cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
Leftovers:
Bake any leftovers under a puff pastry sheet to make a quick homemade pie that looks like you’ve spent ages in the kitchen!
Blend any leftovers into a simple soup to enrich it and make it creamy!
Shape any leftovers into bite-sized balls, coat with flour, and fry them to make the world’s best arancini.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast cutlets, boneless and skinless, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup yellow onion, peeled, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 3 cups broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets
  • 1 (8-ounce) package Mexican-style four cheese blend, shredded, can substitute cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • On a large platter, add the chicken slices and season them with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Set them aside.
  • In a deep, cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
  • Add the onions and the garlic to the heated olive oil, and cook, while stirring occasionally, until the onions are just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the rice to the onion-garlic mixture and stir to coat.
  • Add the chicken broth, the half-and-half, and the remaining salt to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
  • Cover the skillet and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Transfer the rice mixture from the oven to a wire rack and stir.
  • Add the chicken breast slices, the broccoli florets, and the Mexican cheese to the rice mixture and stir until the cheese has melted.
  • Smooth out the rice mixture into an even layer in the skillet.
  • In a medium bowl, add the breadcrumbs and the remaining olive oil and stir to combine.
  • Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the parmesan cheese over the top of the casserole mixture.
  • Bake until the rice is tender, the top is golden-brown and bubbly, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
  • Switch the oven to broil and broil the top of the casserole until richly golden-brown, about 2-5 minutes.
  • Transfer the casserole mixture from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool before serving, about 5 minutes.
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