Low-Fat Chicken, Leek, and Mushroom Casserole

This isn't like your mother used to make! This casserole has great fresh flavor and no added fat. This is a recipe I adapted by Martha Stewart. She cut out the use of high fat and sodium canned soups. Go Martha! I just cut back on the use of olive oil in the recipe and used 1% milk instead of whole milk.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 large)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons EVOO (Martha's recipe 5 tablespoons)
1 leek, white and pale green parts only, coarsely chopped and rinsed well
1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2-inch dice
10 ounces crimini mushrooms, halved if large (I used a 10 oz bag of thickly sliced)
3 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons sherry
2 1/4 cups store-bought low-sodium and 98% fat free chicken broth
3/4 cup 1% milk (Martha uses whole milk)
1 dried bay leaf
8 slices dense multigrain bread, crusts removed, slices cut into triangles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and peeper on both sides. Heat 1 teaspoon (2 T) oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden brown on 1 side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, reduce heat to medium, and cook until cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate, and return pan, with drippings, to medium heat.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon (3T) oil in pan. Add leek, celery, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (Reduce heat if vegetables brown to quickly.) Stir in flour, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add sherry, stock, milk, and bay leaf, and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.

I was watching President Obama's speech at the Democratic retreat while cooking last night

Arrange bread on bottom of a 2-quart oval baking dish (I sprayed with nonstick cooking spray first), overlapping slices slightly. spoon half of the vegetables and sauce over bread. Slice chicken crosswise ,1/2-inch thick, and arrange on bread. Top with any accumulated juices from chicken. Spread remaining vegetables and sauce over chicken, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese, and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Note" The hearty multigrain bread works best in this casserole. It will maintain its texture unlike a softer white-bread loaf, which may become gummy. The bread beautifully absorbs the flavors of the chicken, pan juices, and fresh crimini.

Enjoy with no guilt!