Chicken and Broccoli Bake

It's still winter.. And that means warming and nourishing meals are very welcome. I've just finished a weekend of long long days spent in work, living off of quick meals I can stick in the microwave and multipacks of crisps. And while that feels jolly initially, it does wear thin. So I felt myself in dire need of a good meal, and this was the one I plumped for.

This is one of the most memorable meals from my childhood. It is a complete family staple- we all make it, but no one makes it like my nanny! I think one of the last times I had it was made by my nanny, in France, on a cool summer evening after a long day in the local village. So it holds a special place in my heart, and the flavours mingle in a way which just makes me happy.

The “traditional” way to make it is with a can of condensed cream of chicken soup instead of the béchamel, but I decided to forgo tradition ever so slightly and make my own spin on it.

It is a simple, flavourful, veggie-filled little casserole. You can serve it however you like, I used to have it with potatoes, but it would be lovely with rice or a hunk of crusty bread too! Yum yum!

serves 2 

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 tbsp curry powder
• 2 leeks
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 20g butter
• 20g flour
• 400ml milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Heat the oil and fry the chicken, throwing in 1 tbsp of the curry powder as you go. Fry until just cooked through.

Cook the broccoli briefly in the microwave, or steam it if you can.

Chop the leek and load it with the broccoli in the bottom of a deep casserole dish. Top with the chicken.

Now, make a quick béchamel as a topping: melt the butter in a pot, and gradually add in the flour, mixing well.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk gradually. Put back on the heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring through the curry powder and seasoning when thickened.

Pour this aromatic sauce over the veggie and chicken mixture.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until bubbling.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.