Broccoli cheddar soup meets mac-n-cheese in this hearty slow cooker meal with chicken, roasted broccoli, pasta, and a blended cheddar sauce.
A QUICK NOTE
Cook the pasta for about half the package time before adding it to the slow cooker so it can finish in the sauce. Roast the broccoli separately for browned edges, then stir it in near the end.
INGREDIENTS
3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 yellow onions, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
4 cups broccoli florets
Olive oil, for roasting the broccoli
1½ lb shell pasta, or pasta of choice
HIGH-PROTEIN CHEDDAR SAUCE
3⅓ cups low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup cheddar powder
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2¾ cups low-fat Fairlife milk, or your milk of choice
Salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup lemon juice
1 tsp baking soda
DIRECTIONS
1. Dice the onions and mince the garlic. Add them to the slow cooker with the chicken, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir to coat.
2. Cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 4–5 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
3. While the chicken cooks, blanch the broccoli in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to an ice bath, drain, and chop into bite-size pieces. Spread on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 450°F for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Broil for 5–10 minutes, until browned.
4. For the cheese sauce, stir the baking soda into the lemon juice; the mixture will foam. Blend it with the shredded cheddar, cottage cheese, cheddar powder, nutritional yeast, milk, and salt and pepper until smooth.
5. Cook the pasta for about half the package time, then drain. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the roasted broccoli, pasta, and cheese sauce. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 15–30 minutes, until the pasta is fully cooked and the sauce thickens.
6. Cool leftovers completely before sealing them in airtight, freezer-safe containers.
