lightened-up chicken divan

Last weekend I hosted a wine tour bachelorette party at camp for my friend Sarah. I’ve been to the wineries a gajillion times (mostly for the wine slushies- let’s be real) but it was fun to do it with a big group, especially with people who have never been before!

I also made four pounds of chicken riggies so that’s always a sign of a good time.

On Monday the GS and I went on a virtual date to see Gone Girl. This means we went to see the movie at the same time, him in Baltimore and me in Rochester, and then discussed it afterward. I went and got Wegmans sushi (brown rice, spicy tuna, always) after work and then went to see the movie which I LOVED. I won’t spoil anything in case you haven’t seen it, but the GS loved it too and he didn’t even read the book so I highly recommend it to everyone.

Sometimes I get in the mood for rice (weird?) and I think the sushi sparked it again. I’ve told you before how much I adore casseroles, and I decided to try making a healthier version of one of my childhood favorites.

Lightened-Up Chicken Divan

2 cups brown rice

2 cups chicken stock

1 large chicken breast

1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli

1-2 leeks (or use regular onion)

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the brown rice and lower heat to a simmer.

Saute the leek, garlic, and broccoli in a little bit of butter or oil for about 5 minutes. Once softened, add to the stock and rice. Continue stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.

As the rice is cooking, saute the chicken in a little bit of canola oil. I seasoned mine simply- just salt and pepper. Brown on both sides and chop into small pieces.

Stir the chicken in with the rice and veggies. Pour into a small casserole dish and top with cheese. Place in the oven at 350 or under the broiler until the cheese melts. Serve!

We’ve eliminated about half of the cheese, and cooking the rice in chicken stock takes the place of using cream of chicken soup like the original recipe calls for. I also liked adding the leek and garlic for a little extra flavor. Plus it all came together in less than 20 minutes!