Got a lot of veggies on hand you don’t want to throw away? Maybe even some leftover rotisserie chicken and crispy bacon that needs to be eaten up? Well, you can dump it all into this Kitchen-Sink Casserole! It’s got just about everything in it that’s bursting out of the brims of your refrigerator and creeping out of the crevices of your pantry that just needs to be cleared out. Rather than dumping it all in the trash, you get to enjoy it in a warm and savory bake-form… saving your wallet from waste and your belly from hunger. It’s a win all around! Cheesy, savory, and so hearty, there’s nothing about Kitchen-Sink Casserole you won’t love!
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken, cooked and pulled or diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- parmesan cheese, optional, to taste, grated, for topping
- parsley, to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a large pot of boiling water, cook the cauliflower florets until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 4 –Drain the cauliflower florets and transfer them to a plate.
Step 5 –In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Step 6 –Add the mushrooms, the green pepper, the onion, and the crumbled bacon to the melted butter and sauté until the veggies start softening, about 3 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the xanthan gum to the veggie mixture and stir until everything is coated.
Step 8 –Slowly but constantly stir the heavy cream into the veggie mixture until thick, about 3 minutes.
Step 9 –Season the veggie mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 10 –Add 1/2 of the cooked cauliflower and all of the chicken to the prepared baking dish.
Step 11 –Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 of the cheddar cheese and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/2 of the veggie mixture.
Step 12 –On top of the veggie mixture, layer the remaining cauliflower, the remaining cheddar, the remaining mozzarella, and the remaining veggie mixture.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the paprika, the garlic powder, and the parmesan.
Step 14 –Bake the casserole until it is fully cooked and slightly browned, about 35-40 minutes.
Step 15 –Serve the casserole garnished with the parsley.
