Chicken and Broccoli Bake

4 to 5 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 large bunch)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 2/3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 pound penne or mostaccioli, freshly cooked

Steam broccoli florets until just tender, about 3 minutes; set aside.
Preheat broiler. Butter 13x9x2-inch broilerproof baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches, sauté chicken strips until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken strips to bowl. Add sliced red bell pepper to Dutch oven and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and all of Monterey Jack cheese. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add chicken strips and any juices in bowl to sauce. Add freshly cooked pasta and steamed broccoli florets and toss until sauce coats mixture, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over. Broil until just golden on top, about 3 minutes, and serve.


Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user RSINDERS.