by Megan Winfrey

This time of year, I'm all about comfort casseroles. If I can get away with tossing together some ingredients, topping it with a bunch of cheese, and baking it for a quick 30 minutes every night, I certainly will. This casserole is one of my favorites because it's basically a solid, more filling version of broccoli and cheese soup. And who doesn't like broccoli and cheese soup?

Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Casserole

• 1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 lb. broccoli florets
• 2 cups rice, cooked
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder, divided
• 2 tbs. all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk, divided
• 3 tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease a deep 9" baking dish. Cook the rice according to the package directions. I recommend cooking the rice in chicken stock, if you have it on hand. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the broccoli florets and let cook for 1-2 minutes - the broccoli should still be bright green. Immediately plunge the blanched broccoli into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and salt and pepper to your liking. Add the olive oil to a heavy bottom skillet and heat to medium-high. Cook the chicken through, about 4-6 minutes, then remove to a plate.

Carefully wipe the skillet clean and reduce the heat to medium. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup of milk.

Pour mixture into the skillet and add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the Dijon, remaining garlic powder, and pepper to taste. Stir in the Greek yogurt and 1 cup of cheese, until smooth. Add the rice, broccoli, and chicken to the cheese sauce and mix gently.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes, until heating through and cheese is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.