Cheesy Chipotle Chicken and Rice

From Confessions of a foodie bride

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups uncooked white rice (or enough to yield 3 cups cooked, check your package instructions)
• 16 oz frozen chopped broccoli
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp minced chipotles in adobo sauce*
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups leftover shredded chicken
• *I put the entire can into a mini-chopper and mince and then save the leftovers in the fridge. Or freezer.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a medium sauce pan, cook the rice in water with a generous pinch of salt, according to package, directions and then set aside.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
4. Whisk in the flour, onion, garlic, 2-3 tablespoons of minced chipotles (if you're sensitive to heat, start with 2), a generous pinch of salt and black pepper.
5. Let cook 1-2 minutes and then slowly add the milk, whisking until the sauce is smooth.
6. Let the sauce simmer, reducing the heat if necessary, about 5 minutes until thickened and bubbling.
7. Remove from heat, whisk in the cheddar a handful at a time until completely melted.
8. Taste for spice/seasoning and add additional chipotles, salt, and pepper to taste.
9. Add broccoli, rice, and chicken to the pot and mix well.
10. Transfer mixture to a casserole dish and bake ~35 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.

Notes from Jill's Kitchen: Okay, I have to do this one quick before I puke. I know, that seems like the worst recommendation for a recipe ever, but here's what happened: I made this casserole several months ago and it was delicious. A couple months later I did it again, but this time around I was newly pregnant and had an extremely rocky relationship with food. Extremely. The poor casserole did not sit well with me the second time around and, thanks to the fact that I am still currently pregnant with this little Blueberry of ours, even just looking at the recipe is making me want to yak. Seriously. It's the weirdest thing. But it was so good the first time around that I want to document it just in case I can suddenly tolerate the idea of this once I am no longer pregnant. And now, let's get this over with. Time to copy and paste the recipe while holding my breath to try and trick my imagination into realizing that no, I cannot actually smell the casserole through the stupid picture on the website. BEING PREGNANT IS SO WEIRD!