Do you remember back in time when casseroles became all the rage and there wasn’t a picnic that didn’t have one? Somewhere-In-Thyme Bake will take you back there and satisfy that sweet memory. This casserole is loaded with meaty rotisserie chicken, tender brown rice, savory cremini mushrooms, fresh floral broccoli, melted fontina cheese, a creamy delicious sauce, and a thyme-enhanced panko breadcrumb topping that pulls it all together. This heaven-in-a-skillet is everything you’ve been yearning for! Somewhere-In-Thyme Bake is a dish that never gets old and becomes a family tradition.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
- 2 (8.8-ounce) packages precooked microwaveable brown rice
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, shredded
- 1 (8-ounce) carton cremini mushrooms, quartered and sautéed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
Directions
Step 1 –Position an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source.
Step 2 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 3 –In a small bowl, add the flour and 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth.
Step 4 –In a large broiler-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining milk and bring it to a boil, while stirring often.
Step 5 –Reduce the heat to medium.
Step 6 –Gradually add the flour-milk mixture to the simmering milk and whisk until very smooth.
Step 7 –Increase the stovetop heat to medium-high and bring the flour-milk mixture to a boil.
Step 8 –Boil until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the brown rice and the broccoli to the flour-milk mixture and stir to combine.
Step 10 –Cook the rice mixture until the broccoli is bright green, about 2 minutes.
Step 11 –Add the shredded chicken, the fontina cheese, the cremini mushrooms, the salt, and the black pepper to the rice mixture and stir until the cheese is melted.
Step 12 –Transfer the saucepan from the stovetop to a wire rack.
Step 13 –In a small bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs, the thyme, and the canola oil and stir to combine.
Step 14 –Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the chicken mixture.
Step 15 –Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
Step 16 –Without transferring the skillet from the oven, switch the oven to the broil setting and broil the bake until the top is golden-brown, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 17 –Transfer the bake from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool before serving, about 5 minutes.
Step 18 –Serve.
