Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup no-salt-added chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces; cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl. Add zucchini pieces, chopped bell pepper, minced garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the zucchini mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Stir in ¼ cup flour; cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add ¾ cup broth and ¾ cup milk; bring to a boil, whisking often. Remove from heat and add 3 ounces cream cheese and ¾ cup mozzarella; stir until melted. Stir in ¾ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt. Thoroughly drain liquid from the chicken-and-vegetable mixture; stir the chicken and vegetables into the cheese sauce. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Place the dish on a foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle the casserole with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella.
3. Bake until the top is browned and the edges are bubbly, 18 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.