Chicken, Zucchini and Cheese Bake

This Chicken, Zucchini and cheese Bake is packed with juicy pieces of chicken breast, tender zucchini and capsicum and cooked in a creamy cheese sauce. A perfect weeknight meal and leftovers make for great lunches, too! 

NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVE (8 serves)

307 Cal | 13.8g Fats | 11.1g Carbs | 33.6g Protein

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided

• ½ dried thyme, chopped finely

• 4 cloves of crushed garlic

• 900g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 large red capsicum, chopped

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup no-salt-added chicken stock

• 1 cup whole milk

• 30g reduced-fat cream cheese

• 1 ¼ cups shredded, light mozzarella cheese, divided

• ¾ teaspoon ground pepper

• ½ teaspoon salt  

STEP BY STEP

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thyme, garlic and chicken to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl. Add zucchini and capsicum to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes. Transfer the zucchini mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly until the flour starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add broth and milk; bring to a boil, whisking often. Remove from heat and add cream cheese and 3/4 cup mozzarella; stir until melted. Stir in salt and pepper. Drain liquid from the chicken and vegetable mixture; stir the chicken and vegetables into the cheese sauce. Transfer to a 20cm x 20cm baking dish. Place the dish on a foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle the casserole with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

3. Bake until the top is browned and the edges are bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.