Description
This Chicken Broccoli Casserole is a creamy, comforting dish perfect for family dinners. Tender chicken and broccoli are combined in a rich creamy sauce, topped with a crispy Ritz cracker and cheddar cheese crust, then baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli florets
Sauce and Seasoning
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add chicken pieces. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and fully cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then stir in frozen broccoli florets and cook until broccoli is slightly tender but still crisp, about 3-5 minutes.
- Make Creamy Sauce: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, mayonnaise, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Add the cooked chicken and sautéed broccoli mixture into the bowl and gently stir everything to combine evenly.
- Assemble Casserole: Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish lightly. Pour the chicken and broccoli mixture into the dish. Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on top of the mixture.
- Make Cracker Topping: In a small bowl, mix the crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until the crumbs are coated. Sprinkle this buttery cracker topping evenly over the cheese layer on the casserole.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cracker topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving to set.
Notes
- For extra flavor, consider adding some cooked bacon bits to the topping layer.
- You can substitute cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken soup for a different taste.
- Make sure not to overcook the broccoli during sautéing to maintain a pleasant texture.
- If preferred, use fresh broccoli instead of frozen, but blanch it slightly before cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken broccoli casserole, creamy chicken casserole, comfort food, cheesy broccoli casserole, baked chicken dish
