This Chicken and Broccoli Casserole is the ultimate comfort food solution for busy weeknights. Forget bland, watery casseroles and canned soups. This recipe features a rich, creamy cheese sauce made from scratch, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked broccoli, all topped with a crunchy, golden-brown crust. It’s a wholesome, satisfying meal the entire family will request again and again. If you’re looking for a dish that’s both incredibly easy to make and packed with flavor, you’ve found it.
We’re taking simple, fresh ingredients and transforming them into a show-stopping dinner. This recipe is designed to be straightforward, ensuring you get a perfect result every time. For another easy weeknight meal, you might also love this One-Pan Garlic Herb Chicken and Veggies.
Why This Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe Works
This isn’t just another casserole recipe; it’s a game-changer for your dinner rotation. We’ve focused on developing deep, savory flavors and a luxuriously creamy texture that sets it apart.
No Canned Soup: We create a simple, from-scratch cheese sauce using butter, flour, milk, and cheese. It’s quick, easy, and tastes infinitely better than the canned stuff.
Perfectly Cooked Broccoli: Our method ensures the broccoli is tender but not mushy, preventing the casserole from becoming watery.
Family-Approved Flavor: The combination of cheddar and Parmesan cheese creates a sharp, nutty, and savory sauce that coats every single bite.
Great for Meal Prep: This casserole can be assembled ahead of time, making it the perfect solution for a hectic evening. Just pop it in the oven when you’re ready!
Key Ingredients for a Perfect Casserole
The magic of this dish comes from using simple, high-quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
Tossing everything together in our simple, from-scratch cheese sauce.
Chicken: Cooked and shredded chicken is the star. Rotisserie chicken is a fantastic time-saver, but any cooked chicken breast or thighs will work.
Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets are best. We’ll briefly blanch them to ensure they are perfectly tender-crisp in the final dish.
The Creamy Sauce: This simple roux-based sauce is the heart of the recipe. You’ll need unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, milk, and chicken broth.
Cheese: A sharp cheddar cheese provides the main flavor, while a touch of Parmesan adds a salty, nutty complexity. Freshly grated cheese melts much better than pre-shredded varieties.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper are all you need to perfectly season the sauce.
Topping (Optional but Recommended): A simple mix of Panko breadcrumbs and melted butter creates a delightfully crunchy topping that contrasts beautifully with the creamy filling.
How to Make The Ultimate Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Making this creamy chicken and broccoli casserole from scratch is surprisingly simple. Just follow these three main steps for a dinner that tastes like it came from a gourmet kitchen.
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken and Broccoli
First, ensure your chicken is cooked and shredded into bite-sized pieces. If using fresh broccoli, cut it into small, uniform florets. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli for just 1-2 minutes. This quick step tenderizes the broccoli slightly and brings out its vibrant green color. Immediately drain the broccoli and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. This is the key to avoiding a mushy, watery casserole. Pat it as dry as possible with paper towels.
Step 2: Create the Rich Cheese Sauce
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute until it forms a paste—this is your roux. Slowly pour in the milk and chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for about 5-7 minutes. Once it coats the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and most of the shredded cheddar and all the Parmesan cheese, reserving some cheddar for the top. Keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety.
Look at that creamy, cheesy goodness in every bite!
Step 3: Assemble and Bake
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken and the blanched, dry broccoli. Pour the glorious cheese sauce over the top and stir gently until everything is evenly coated. Transfer this mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese. If using the crunchy topping, mix the Panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle them over the cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the topping is golden brown. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for Casserole Success
Want to elevate your dish? Here are a few expert tips.
Grate Your Own Cheese: Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated in anti-caking agents that can make your sauce gritty. Grating a block of cheese by hand will result in a much smoother, creamier sauce.
Don’t Overcook the Broccoli: The initial blanching is just to kickstart the cooking. The broccoli will continue to cook in the oven, so keeping the blanching time short is crucial for the best texture.
Use Whole Milk: For the richest, creamiest sauce, whole milk is the way to go. You can use 2%, but avoid skim milk as it can result in a thinner sauce.
For those who love hearty chicken dishes, our Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is another comforting classic worth trying.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
This Chicken and Broccoli Casserole is just as delicious the next day!
To Store: Let the casserole cool completely, then cover it tightly with foil or transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze the assembled, unbaked casserole. Cover the baking dish tightly with both plastic wrap and foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To bake, you can either thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or bake from frozen, adding about 20-30 minutes to the total bake time.
To Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave. For larger amounts, place the casserole in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, about 20 minutes.
If you enjoy simple, set-it-and-forget-it meals, explore our collection of Healthy Crockpot Recipes for more inspiration.
The key is to manage the moisture from the broccoli. We recommend briefly blanching fresh broccoli and then drying it thoroughly with paper towels before adding it to the casserole. This ensures a creamy, not watery, result.
Absolutely! You can assemble the entire casserole, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time if it’s going into the oven straight from the fridge.
This recipe is versatile! You can substitute the chicken with cooked, shredded turkey or even cooked sausage for a different flavor profile. For a vegetarian option, you could use a mix of mushrooms and cauliflower.
This is a wonderful all-in-one meal, but it also pairs nicely with a fresh green salad, crusty bread for dipping in the sauce, or a side of fluffy white or brown rice.
Yes, you can. For best results, add 2-3 cups of cooked rice or pasta to the chicken and broccoli mixture before adding the sauce. You may want to slightly increase the amount of sauce to ensure it’s still nice and creamy.
Your New Favorite Comfort Meal
This Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole is more than just a recipe; it’s a warm, cheesy hug in a dish. It’s destined to become a staple in your meal rotation. If you make this recipe, we would love to see it! Share a photo and tag us on Pinterest. Your feedback and creations inspire our community of home cooks!
The ultimate comfort food: our creamy, cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole!
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
FL Recipes
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole: A Creamy, Cheesy Delight
Discover the ultimate Chicken and Broccoli Casserole recipe made from scratch! This creamy, cheesy, and easy-to-make dish features a rich homemade sauce, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked broccoli, making it the perfect weeknight comfort food.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat the broccoli thoroughly dry with paper towels.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until a paste forms.
Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until it has thickened.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken and the dried broccoli florets. Pour the cheese sauce over the chicken and broccoli and stir gently to combine.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
For the optional topping, mix the Panko breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp of melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcalProtein: 35gFat: 30gFiber: 3g
Notes
Tip 1: For extra flavor, add a pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of Dijon mustard to the cheese sauce. Tip 2: Ensure the broccoli is very dry after blanching to prevent a watery casserole. Tip 3: Grating your own cheese from a block will result in a much smoother sauce.
Keyword cheesy chicken bake,chicken and broccoli casserole,creamy chicken casserole
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
