Chicken, Eggplant, and Green Beans Casserole

This was one of the very first casseroles I made for my family. It was originally a green bean casserole recipe, but since I wanted this to be an (almost) all-in-one dish I added the ground chicken and eggplant. I also added more spices. My 2-year-old twins loved it and so did my hubby! It's a hearty dish that we usually eat with brown rice and/or crusty bread. It's also good served with a side of fresh and crisp green salad with tangy dressing. This casserole may be too mushy for some people. If you don't want it to turn out that way, you can substitute the ground chicken with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked and cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 360 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ¼ cup diced onion
• ½ cup crumbled buttery round crackers
• ½ pound ground chicken
• 2 cups fresh green beans, chopped
• 1 eggplant, sliced into thin rounds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir flour into melted butter until smooth; cook for 1 minute. Stir sour cream, onion, garlic powder, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the flour mixture until evenly mixed; add ground chicken and green beans. Cook and stir mixture until chicken is completely browned and the onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Arrange eggplant rounds into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread chicken and green bean mixture over the eggplant. Top with Cheddar cheese.

Step 4

Mix cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a bowl until crackers are evenly moistened; sprinkle over the Cheddar cheese.

Step 5

Bake in preheated oven until top is golden and cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes.