This chicken, broccoli and cauliflower casserole takes thick cheesy sauce and cooks it with tender broccoli, cauliflower, and chicken, all for just 3 WW FreeStyle Smart Points per serving! Today’s “Cheesy Chicken Floret Bake” is a simple dinner that celebrates the cabbage family, using small heads of broccoli and cauliflower as the stars of the show. If you are a fan of broccoli with cheese, today’s meal is for you!

Broccoli:
It’s not just a side dish anymore.

I have been using broccoli and cauliflower as side dishes in our home lately and I have really come to enjoy it. I even ventured out and made cauliflower rice recently, which was surprisingly easy and went perfect with my orange chicken recipe!

This recipe was different though. This time I STARTED with broccoli as my number one ingredient and then built a main dish around it with ingredients that pair well with it broccoli. The cauliflower bulks up the casserole dish without adding extra points, the chicken provides yummy protein to keep you fuller longer, and the cheeses (and cheese sauce) add a rich flavor that ties all of the ingredients together.

Reasons to eat more broccoli.

Sometimes when I start adding ingredients into my diet that I know are good for me I like to remind myself why it is important for me to eat that particular food.  Here are just a few reasons why it’s smart (and healthy) to add more broccoli into your diet:

The vitamins and nutrients found in broccoli are good for all of the parts of your body, from the inside out! As you can see in the picture above, regularly eating broccoli can be a game changer for your health! You can read more about how and why broccoli helps with all of the things listed by visiting Medical News Today.

(Another great MPM recipe that uses broccoli is this Beef Broccoli Cashew Stir Fry Ramen recipe. It’s seriously yummy! You have to try it sometime)

Okay, so, I think we can all agree that eating broccoli is a smart choice. How about if we make it a tasty choice too?

Here is what you need:

1 tablespoon light butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Laughing Cow garlic and herb cheese wedges
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small head of cauliflower florets (about 3-4 cups)
1 small head of broccoli florets (about 3-4 cups)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Kraft reduced-fat shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese

Here is what you do:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a stockpot, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add broccoli and cauliflower florets to the water and allow to cook, covered, 5-6 minutes. Drain water from pan immediately after cooking time and return to the hot pan with no water so the florets can dry completely.

Meanwhile, in medium skillet set to medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and onion to butter and cook until onion is tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Mix in half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, and salt. Cook until cheese wedges are melted and sauce is thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Evenly spread out cauliflower, broccoli, and chicken in an 8″ x 11″ baking dish. (If broccoli and cauliflower florets are still wet at this point, be sure to pat them dry with paper towel before moving on to the next step) Spread the cheesy sauce over over the top of the cauliflower, broccoli and chicken and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake 20 minutes.

Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Makes 8 cups.
One serving is one cup.
One serving is 4 Green, 3 Blue, and 3 Purple points per serving.

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Print Recipe

4 from 1 vote

Cheesy Chicken Floret Bake

4 Green, 3 Blue, and 3 Purple points per serving.

Makes: 1 cup

Calories: 262

Author: Alisha Hughes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon light butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Laughing Cow garlic and herb cheese wedges
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small head of cauliflower florets (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 small head of broccoli florets (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Kraft reduced-fat shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a stockpot, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add broccoli and cauliflower florets to the water and allow to cook, covered, 5-6 minutes. Drain water from pan immediately after cooking time and return to the hot pan with no water so the florets can dry completely.
• Meanwhile, in medium skillet set to medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and onion to butter and cook until onion is tender, about 2-3 minutes.
• Mix in half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, and salt. Cook until cheese wedges are melted and sauce is thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
• Evenly spread out cauliflower, broccoli, and chicken in an 8" x 11" baking dish. (If broccoli and cauliflower florets are still wet at this point, be sure to pat them dry with paper towel before moving on to the next step) Spread the cheesy sauce over over the top of the cauliflower, broccoli and chicken and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

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