Cheesy Chicken Rice Bake

This is easily adaptable to your own taste. Substitute poultry seasoning, chili powder or cumin for the mustard powder; use cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup in place of the veloute sauce; use brown rice, barley or quinoa instead of white rice. If you're in a hurry, you can use 1 (10 ounce) can of cream of chicken soup plus 1/2 tsp mustard powder in place of the veloute sauce.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Veloute sauce

• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  teaspoon mustard powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper
• 3⁄4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup low-fat milk

• Chicken Bake

• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1  cup  diced onion (1 medium)
• 1  cup  diced red bell pepper (2 medium)
• 4  cups  chopped  cooked chicken or 4  cups  chopped  cooked turkey
• 2  cups cooked long-grain rice
• 1  cup low-fat milk
• 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1⁄2 cups  shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, divided
•  salt, to taste
•  ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add flour, mustard, salt and white pepper. Whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes until it is a pale golden color and starchy taste is gone. Slowly add the liquids, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until mixture is boiling and thickened. Set aside.
3. In another saucepan, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; saute until onion is translucent and vegetables are soft.
4. Add chicken, rice, milk, mayonnaise, 1 cup of cheddar cheese and veloute sauce. Stir well. Adjust seasoning if needed. Pour into a 13x9x2" casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven 25-35 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted and bubbly.