Creamed Chicken and Rice with Broccoli

Some 20+ years later, I still remember my very favorite dish from my elementary school's cafeteria. It was called "creamed chicken and rice" and was basically just that-chicken over white rice, sans vegetables and probably as laden in fat as you can get for the cream sauce. But it was sooo good and I looked forward to it whenever it appeared on the menu. My version here has zero cream in it or cheese, but it was pretty darn good. If you'd like, throw in a handful of grated Parmesan and use any sort of milk/cream product you prefer.

Creamed Chicken and Rice with Broccoli

2 c cooked brown rice (or 1 c uncooked rice and 2 and a splash c broth)
2 c broccoli florets
2 c milk
3 tbs butter
3 tbs all purpose flour
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lb chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
salt, pepper,olive oil

Cook rice however method you prefer (I used my ricecooker.

In a small sauce pan, make a roux by melting butter then whisking in flour. Cook for a minute or two. Whisk in half cup of cold milk and whisk briskly until all the lumps are gone. Stir in remaining milk. Cook on medium low until thickened, stirring frequently, about 10-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add half cup of Parmesan or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese in the last few minutes.

While the sauce is thickening, in a high rimmed skillet or another pot, saute onion in olive oil until beginning to soften. Add chicken, garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until chicken is cooked through. At this point, I noticed that there was a fair amount of liquid so I tossed the broccoli on top and covered the pan loosely. Cook until the broccoli is tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated.

Add rice to veggie mixture. Pour in sauce and stir until well-combined. Cook for a minute or two, then adjust seasoning to taste.

Serves 4.