Chicken Strata - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
6 ounces asparagus, woody stems discarded, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup water
4 cups cubed cooked chicken (1 inch cubes)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups cubed French bread (1 inch cubes)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, water and cover. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.
Add chicken and mayonnaise, mix well. Whisk milk, broth, eggs, parsley, chives, salt and pepper in another bowl.
Lightly butter a 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Spread half of bread cubes in dish; top with chicken mixture. Spread remaining cubes over chicken. Pour egg mixture over ingredients in dish. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 10 hours.
Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F Bake strata for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes; serve hot.