The Best Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
I’ve been making a lot of casseroles lately for a round-up of the best winter casserole dishes; this one is a sentimental family favorite. My Mom made a version of this creamy chicken casserole dish at least once a month, and to this day, I make this 2-3 times each year. I have altered and changed it a bit over the years, but sometimes I make it just how my Mom made it: canned cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup topped with French’s Fried Onions. Mmmmm, so tasty. This delicious dinner brings back memories. Try this Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole recipe!
This variation is made with a homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup. There is nothing wrong with using a canned version; I like the freshness of the mushrooms in the homemade version and knowing precisely what is in the base of the recipe. The fried onion rings are optional; I chose to leave them off to reduce the fat and calorie content but feel free to use them. This easy dish is a complete meal in one dish. For me, it’s the ultimate comfort food, with tender chicken that is juicy and a sauce that is flavorful and rich.
One of the best things about this dish is its easy preparation. Many of the ingredients are pantry staples, and it only takes a few minutes of prep time to complete. This easy dinner will become a favorite recipe for the entire family.
What You Need For The Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
On busy weeknights, you might be looking for easy chicken casserole recipes, and this is one the whole family will enjoy. This easy recipe is made up of simple ingredients and is inexpensive to make. Besides a baking dish, this is what you will need to make this:
- Chicken Breast: 3-4 skinless, boneless breasts cut into three pieces each will feed 4-6 people.
- Broccoli: Florettes from a large head of broccoli cut into pieces.
- Cheddar Cheese: Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese for mixing into the dish and topping.
- Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup: To make homemade, you will need butter, white button mushrooms, chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder, whole milk, and flour. You can certainly use a can of store-bought soup to save a little time. Either way, you will get a creamy sauce.
- Mayonnaise: A cup of mayo adds a tangy flavor to the dish. You could also use sour cream if you prefer.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: To add a crunchy topping (you could switch to the French’s Fried Onions my Mom used to). Crushed Ritz crackers would also do the trick. The cheesy, crunchy topping is the best part of the entire dish.
- Rice: Serve this dish over rice. I prefer jasmine rice, but you could use Minute Rice or another instant rice if you prefer (that’s how Mom made it).
Step-By-Step How-To Guide
- Step 1: Make the condensed cream of mushroom soup. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add mushrooms and cook until they release most of their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, onion, and garlic powder and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour. Stir into the mushrooms and cook until the soup has thickened, about a minute or two—season with salt and black pepper.
- Step 2: Combine the soup, mayo, and half of the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Step 3: In a prepared casserole dish, place an even layer of the cut chicken breast pieces; be sure to season with salt and pepper. Top with the broccoli pieces. Pour the soup and cheese mixture over the top.
- Step 4: Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Loosely cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes. If the top has not turned golden brown, remove the cover and bake until just browned.
- Step 5: Serve over rice, enjoy.
Tips For Success
Tip 1— This can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for several hours and then baked.
Tip 2 — It’s also great leftover; store it in an airtight container and reheat it.
Tip 3 — To make a larger casserole to serve more people, double the homemade condensed soup or add some water or broth.
For more casserole recipes, check out my A New Take On Top Classic Winter Casserole Recipes.
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 cups of broccoli cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cups of sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 oz white button mushrooms sliced
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a large casserole or baking dish.
- Make the condensed cream of mushroom soup. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add mushrooms and cook until they release most of their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, onion, and garlic powder and simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour. Stir into the mushrooms and cook until the soup has thickened, about a minute or two—season with salt and black pepper.
- Combine the soup, mayo, and half of the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- In the prepared casserole dish, place an even layer of the cut chicken breast pieces; be sure to season with salt and pepper. Top with the broccoli pieces. Pour the soup and cheese mixture over the top.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Loosely cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes. If the top has not turned golden brown, remove the cover and bake until just browned.
- Serve over rice; enjoy.
