Sure, some of you might be wondering why on earth I’d ruin this deliciousness with chickpeas but, believe me, don’t knock it till you try it.
Whereas pasta can often mean empty calories and a kind of mushy end result, the chickpeas hold their texture and shape while adding a ton of nutrition to the classic flavors. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m in a very committed relationship pasta. When you need an easy, inexpensive, interesting and healthier swap, though, this Cheesy Buffalo Chickpea Chicken Bake will definitely do the trick.
Cheesy Buffalo Chickpea Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- 4 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese about 1cup, divided
- 2 cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 4 cups broccoli chopped
- 12 oz cooked and shredded chicken from about 1 pound uncooked
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Step 2 Spray a medium sized pot with cooking spray. Add garlic and onion and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes
- Step 3 Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to combine
- Step 4 Pour milk into pot and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to low and allow mixture to come down to a simmer
- Step 5 Stir 3 oz of cheddar, about ¾ cup, into sauce until it melts fully
- Step 6 Add chickpeas, broccoli and chicken to pot and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper then continue to heat over low until warmed through, about 5 minutes
- Step 7 Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour mixture into prepared dish
- Step 8 Top with remaining 1 oz (1/4 cup) of cheddar cheese
- Step 9 Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Edges should be bubbling and cheese should be well melted.
NOT-SO-PRO TIPS
If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add uncooked chicken breasts and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on chicken’s thickness, until it is cooked through. It should be easy to shred with 2 forks
This casserole freezes very well! I’ll often eat a couple of servings for dinners then wrap the rest in individual, tin foil packages and store in a labeled freezer bag. To defrost, simply leave a serving in the fridge overnight|
Feel free to swap out the broccoli for cauliflower or another veggie, or to omit it entirely. If you don’t eat or don’t want to eat meat, this Cheesy Buffalo Chickpea Chicken Bake would be just as delicious without the chicken
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