Here I go again, posting this recipe for the second time. As you have probably figured out by now, I deleted my baking blog, and recovered everything except for the last two posts that I had made.
This is really, honestly my favorite casserole type chicken dish. I probably could eat it every night! There are a lot of varieties of this recipe out there, but you have to try making this one with homemade sauce, and not canned soup. It makes a huge difference in taste quality. When I posted this previously, one of my sweet commentors asked if they could leave out the poppyseeds. Sure you can . . . they simply add subtle taste, and make the crumbs looks a bit prettier. You could substitute another veggie for the Broccoli, if you turn your nose up at Broccoli. In fact, you could substitute ham for the chicken, and that would also be tasty. I also want you to know that this re-heats quite well. If you have leftovers, simply re-heat in the microwave until it is hot and bubbly again. Then turn on your broiler, and toast those yummy crumbs until they are crisp again. Really good!
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- 1 – lb. fresh broccoli Break in pieces, and steam for 2 minutes.
- 3 cups cooked chicken breasts – Break up in small pieces
- 3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese divided
- 2 tubes Ritz Crackers
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- SAUCE:
- ⅓ cup Butter- melted
- ¼ cups Cornstarch, dissolved in ½ cup COLD Water
- ⅓ cup Chicken Broth
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1½ cups of the above Cheddar Cheese
- In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside.
- In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened.
- Turn heat down to low, and add 1- ½ cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted.
- Pour over the chicken and broccoli.
- Top with 1- ½ cups grated cheddar cheese.
- Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds, and stir well.
- Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.
by Get Off Your Butt and BAKE
Sarah - Made this for dinner tonight, pretty OK, but not perfect. I followed the recipe, I added a jar of alfrado to my cheese sauce, and left out the poppy seeds. I seasoned my chicken, like normal, garlic season sale pepper onion powder and paprika, the sauce seemed like it was a little much, so I half cooked rice, and added it. I baked for 30 minutes then topped with whole grain butter crackers. My hubby and I decided next time, add bacon, and maybe a bag of frozen mixed veggies. It was good, but missing something….May 11, 2013 – 8:26 pm
Nicole - My family really enjoyed this. I added shredded carrots as well for an extra dose of nutrients.May 11, 2013 – 1:22 pm
Mariko - This was a very good recipe!!! I also used a rotisserie chicken and added 2 tsp garlic powder and 1 package of onion soup mix. I also used “Everything” Ritz crackers (with garlic, onion poppyseeds). I cut down the amount of melted butter for the crackers to 1/4 c and it worked out great. Thank you for the recipe!!!!!May 6, 2013 – 11:42 pm
Pennie - Made this tonight, dairy free, and it turned out delicious!
April 28, 2013 – 5:30 pm
Amanda - Used rotisserie chicken and left out the poppyseeds! This was absolutely delicious! My 18month old LOVED it! We will be eating this again and again!
April 28, 2013 – 3:31 pm
Kelly McNelis - Originally found this on Pinterest. I have made it many, many times. It is delicious. I always boil the chicken breasts. YUM.April 10, 2013 – 5:37 pm
Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - Hi Paula,
Just a nice tossed green salad, and some toasted garlic bread!
JonnaMarch 15, 2013 – 5:35 pm
Paula Atkinson - This looks fabulous! I’m going to make it tonight. What did you serve with it? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
March 13, 2013 – 11:22 am
Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - Hi Tiana,
Sometimes I boil chicken breasts. Sometimes I use leftover Chicken breasts from last nights dinner. Sometimes I use rotisserie chicken.
It all works!
JonnaMarch 8, 2013 – 12:11 pm
Tiana - Yumm this looks absolutely delicious!! Just curious how you all cooked the chicken, did you boil, pan fry, crock pot? And what did you season the chicken with? Thanks!March 7, 2013 – 12:28 pm
Heather - Love this recipe! My family loved it. My youngest son who doesn’t really like broccoli requested seconds. Going to make it again tonight.March 6, 2013 – 12:25 pm
Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - Hi Donna,
I would just use about 1 1/2 cups of cracker crumbs and about 3 to 4 tablespoons of melted butter.
I rarely use as much butter as the original recipe calls for….it’s good, but not necessary. Just play with it!
JonnaFebruary 22, 2013 – 7:19 pm
Donna - This recipe looks delicious and the comments seem to back that up! I am going to make this for a baby shower! One question, though…when I opened my box of Ritz Crackers, I realized they are not in tubes!! They are just loose in one bag!! How do I know how much to use??
Thanks!!February 21, 2013 – 8:11 am
Lara - Tried this recipe at the request of a friend. Loved it! Even better the next day. Will definately make again!!!!!!February 19, 2013 – 7:26 pm
Jamie - I made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing my gluten of a husband got thirds!! It does make large pan full, and its only me and my husband but i just package leftovers into single serve containers and freeze so that we can just grab a lunch and go when getting ready for work. Will def be makin this over and over!! Thanks for the great recipe!February 14, 2013 – 5:11 pm
Meagan - I love making this dish!! It’s sooo yummy! Everyone in my family loves it! I added more veggies in it the last time I made it and it made it even better! Thanks for sharing such an awesome recipe!January 30, 2013 – 3:51 pm
Get Off Your Butt and BAKE! - Hi Laura,
Gee….you must have done something wrong…..so sorry.
JonnaJanuary 23, 2013 – 11:41 am
Laura In Texas - Made this last night and couldn’t finish my plate. It was disgusting and I ended up throwing the whole dish down the garbage disposal.
Was a waste of money and will NOT make it again.January 23, 2013 – 10:35 am
april piccola - How much does this make its only me and my boyfriend. I already make something like this that i had to drastically cut the recipe down by a lil more than half but it sounds really tasty and he like the other one i made!January 16, 2013 – 7:18 am
Lynn D. Kimbell - This recipe was a winner with my family—everyone agreed that that it was very yummy—-and with a large family,including some picky eaters, believe me, that doesn’t happen very often. Thanks so much for posting this!January 14, 2013 – 2:17 pm
Dee - I made this recipe this weekend as directed and it was wonderful!! Definitely a keeper!January 14, 2013 – 8:35 am
Christine - I made this tonight for dinner…followed the recipe exactly & it was soooo tasty. It even impressed my very picky boyfriend. I served it with white rice. Will definitely add this to my rotation.January 4, 2013 – 8:08 pm
Ashley - Made this last night exactly following the recipe and it was delish!!January 3, 2013 – 11:37 pm
Stephanie Swisher - Love this recipe, made this once already and my family loved it. Shared it with my mom (her and my dad loved it). In fact I’ve been asked to make this again so this is whats for dinner!! Love the poppy seeds in it!! I do add a bit more salt & pepper then what’s called for.December 30, 2012 – 6:40 pm
Kina - Found this recipe on Pinterest and I’m finally getting a chance to make it! I prepped it this morning by doing everything except the cracker topping and putting it in the refrigerator. I’ll do the topping this evening before I bake it. I also made some brown rice to go with it. Can’t wait to taste!December 21, 2012 – 10:23 am
Marla - Made this for dinner tonight was really good. We put it over the top of jasmine rice .December 15, 2012 – 6:18 pm
Connie Hill - I just wanted to thank you. I asked my grown married son what he wanted me to fix for Christmas Eve dinner. He said Honey Baked Ham. Great for me…since I can just buy and serve. That means I can spend some time thinking of other dishes to serve and I think your looks amazing. The Hill house in the Great Smokey Mountains of East Tennessee will be enjoying your dish Christmas Eve. Thank you! ConnieDecember 2, 2012 – 7:08 pm
Christel - Made it for the first time last night and it was the best Chicken Casserole I had in years.my Husband asked if we can have it again tonight
i left the Poppy Seeds out cause he don’t like them.But that was the only change I made.thank you for posting this on Pinterest.This is a keeper.November 27, 2012 – 3:01 pm
Cheryl - This is the BEST recipe I have found so far on Pinterest. Amazing dish.November 19, 2012 – 9:56 pm
lesliehayman - i hope we like it it looks sooooo good
November 18, 2012 – 3:52 pm
Get Off Your Butt and BAKE! - You can use far less butter in the reduced fat Ritz crackers!
You can also use Panko bread crumbs drizzled with a bit of olive oil!
JonnaNovember 15, 2012 – 6:17 pm
Shirley - Hey all you low-carbers out there…what would make sense instead of the crackers for the crunch?…this looks great.November 15, 2012 – 5:18 pm
Mischa05 - Awesome recipe!! I cooked the chicken with garlic & onion powder and a bit of Worcestershire sauce; also added a package of onion soup mix to the sauce for some extra kick. It was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend this recipe!!November 12, 2012 – 11:24 am
sharon hauge - this sounds good i am going to try it ill let you know what i thank about it.October 29, 2012 – 11:14 pm
Karen - I made this tonight. Fantastic!! Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow.October 27, 2012 – 9:40 pm
Julie - Made this last night after seeing it on Pinterest and paired with a green salad. It was perfect – love the crunch and the poppy seeds add a unique flavor that is wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing it.October 27, 2012 – 8:31 am
Get Off Your Butt and BAKE! - Hi Emily,
I think this should feed at least 5 hungry people!
JonnaOctober 24, 2012 – 5:09 pm
Emily Earwood - For the ones that have made this how many does it feed?October 24, 2012 – 12:01 pm
Amy Goleski - I made this tonight and topped it with a mix of french fried onion rings and panko bread crumbs. It was very tasty. I also poured it over a bed of rice to make it a larger meal for my large family. Delicious, this will be again and again, I’m sure!October 23, 2012 – 4:57 pm
ohjennran - Made this for dinner tonight and it was great. When I have made this casserole in the past with the cream of xyz, I have always cut up raw chicken and put the broc in raw too. I did that tonight and it came out fine. Change I made: I let it cook for 30 minutes, then topped it with bread crumbs,and didn’t add the extra cheese on top, no poppy seeds, the kids wouldn’t go for it. found it on pinterest.served it over rice, but it wasn’t necessary as it cooked up well. will probably skip the rice next time. it’s a keeper!October 15, 2012 – 9:17 pm
Andrea P - LOVE IT! Found this awesome nugget on Pinterest, can’t thank you enough! Make it all the time. <3 Love it for a quick weeknight meal.October 10, 2012 – 2:56 pm
Kelly Watson - I saw this recipe on the Craft-o-Maniac blog, and it looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks!October 2, 2012 – 2:54 pm
Patti - This recipe was awesome! Great way to get broccoli in your kids’ diet. Delicious!!September 12, 2012 – 3:52 pm
Selma - YumSeptember 8, 2012 – 6:57 am
Jonna - Hi Katy,
No, No, No….you should not see that! It was certainly the cornstarch you were seeing. You must dissolve cornstarch with Cold water, and then add it super duper slowly, or it will lump up. Also let it simmer slowly for a few minutes so that any cornstarch taste is gone. They key to adding your cornstarch/water mixture is to make sure it’s very well blended before adding. Add it super slowly!
I hope you were still able to enjoy it. It’s my favorite!
JonnaSeptember 6, 2012 – 10:05 am
katy - I made this last night and it was delicious. A hit in my picky family. Just one thing, I ended up with these coagulated chunks of whitish, clear jelly things. Just wondering if you had this issue and what could be done about it. I followed the recipe precisely.September 6, 2012 – 9:17 am
Jonna - Hi Melissa,
Thanks so much for leaving an awesome comment!
JonnaSeptember 4, 2012 – 10:48 am
Melissa - Love! Love! Love!!! I’ve made this several times and we’ve had to rename it in our house to “Awesome Chicken” because it is so AWESOME! The cheese sauce is the kicker, I think, because I’ve made chicken & broccoli dishes with cheese before, but nothing has ever had the flavor this dish does! And the Ritz topping is awesome, too! Great flavor combinations!September 3, 2012 – 8:32 pm
Lisa - I want to make this again (it was yummy the first time!) and I want to add rice to it but was wondering if you had ever done that? If so, did you increase the amount of the Sauce and if so, by how much do you think? the rice would soak up the sauce as it cooks so I know it would need more. Thanks.August 16, 2012 – 7:51 am
cynthiaj81 - I made this and it IS wonderful!!! I am not a big meat eater so I did half with chicken and subbed in potatoes (for chicken) on the other half and both were DELICIOUS! When I saw how much butter it took, I did use I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter but other than that I am so mad I left my leftovers at home today
August 13, 2012 – 7:17 am
Karen - Made this last weekend, using a rotisserie chicken and it was WONDERFUL! Couldn’t wait for leftover the next day!August 9, 2012 – 9:42 am
Jonna - Hi Monica,
You could use less cheese. Lessen the amount of butter used in the crumbs as well.
JonnaJuly 24, 2012 – 10:27 am
Monica - This look really yummy! Did anyone use less butter or cheese? The amounts for both just seem like a lot.July 24, 2012 – 10:10 am
Marissa - you actually can make it healthy. I make it all the time and freeze the rest for later in the week. Just substitute with whole wheat crackers, fat free organic milk, whole wheat flour (instead of cornstarch), reduced fat chicken stock or even fat free, and reduced fat cheddar cheese. Also eating the right portion will help. very good even when you make it healthy! hope this helps!
July 19, 2012 – 2:03 pm
Jazpat - Definitetly not healthy, but very good!! Has everything but the poppy seeds. Didn’t come out as dark and crunchy, but definetly good! Glad I tried it! July 14, 2012 – 8:33 pm
JERIANN MARKS - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE RECIPE PRINTABLE.July 13, 2012 – 4:48 pm
Missy - Do you think this would would freeze well? I’m a teacher and I’m looking for casseroles I can freeze to fill my freezer before school starts. This sounds delicious!July 13, 2012 – 3:47 pm
S Williams - I made this last night. I didn’t have cheddar so I used Kraft American cheese slices. I didn’t have the Ritz crackers so I used Corn Flakes. I fortunately had some frozen broccoli and the chicken. It was SO delicious! Imagine if I had all the right ingredients.June 22, 2012 – 10:24 am
Loians Ann Freem - Love your receipes. Something new all the time. Love it.June 22, 2012 – 10:06 am
Amys - This is probably the least healthy thing I’ve eaten all week, but I’m eating low carb so it at least was on the low end of carbs and it was YUMMY!June 5, 2012 – 9:27 pm
DeerParkMomma - I made this using whole wheat Ritz. Also, the recipe doesn’t specify, but I used unsalted butter because I thought it might be really salty if I used salted butter along with the crackers and the cheddar cheese-both of which are very salty.
It was very good…comfort food!!June 4, 2012 – 5:25 pm
Ginny - Great version of this classic casserole. So much better without the soup cans
I’ll pin this now!June 4, 2012 – 1:48 pm
Tresa - I made this and used chicken stove top stop instead of crackers. It was YUMMY!May 17, 2012 – 8:42 pm
Janet - Made this for the first time tonight. Left out the poppy seeds. It was SUPER YUMMY!!!April 28, 2012 – 9:28 pm
Lynne - Made this last night. The flavor was deelish and I liked not using the canned soup as usual. You can definitely taste all the goodness in this dish instead of salty soup!April 17, 2012 – 12:14 pm
Nicole Honeycutt - Found you through Pinterest!
Making this tonight with some shredded yukon’s on the bottom.April 16, 2012 – 5:20 pm
Lindsay - We made this for dinner tonight. We loved it. It is so simple, but sooo yummy. Gotta figure out how to make it healthier though.
April 14, 2012 – 6:48 pm
Melissa G - I made this for our Easter potluck yesterday and I had no leftovers. It went fast!! It’s so good! I’m printing out recipes to give to everybody now.April 9, 2012 – 12:37 pm
Mary - Just made this for dinner… holy deliciousness batman! It was so tasty but my cheese sauce was grainy
Not sure what I did wrong but I have been plagued by grainy cheese sauce for many years… Anyone got any tips for a smooth creamy sauce? Because I really want to make this again!April 6, 2012 – 6:07 pm
Mary - This looks SOOO good! I am on weight watchers so the points plus value is going to be pretty high. I plan to use fat free milk, 2% cheese, reduced fat stock, grilled 99% fat free chicken, and ICBINB light (which is what I always use in place of butter). I am so excited to try this!! I will report back later on how it turned out and do my best to figure out the PP value. Thanks, looks yummy!April 6, 2012 – 9:18 am
Lena - How would this taste with mozzarella cheese instead of the cheddar? just curious. Thanks!April 3, 2012 – 11:07 am
Anna - I also came from Pinterest. I’ve been meaning to make it ever since I saw it and finally got around to it tonight! It was absolutely delicious!! This is definitely the best chicken casserole I’ve ever had!April 2, 2012 – 5:49 pm
Cindy - Can you make the Chicken Broccoli Cassarole ahead of time? I know that I should wait to put the cracker crust on it until right before I cook it, but it sure would be nice If I could get most of it ready. Thanks!March 26, 2012 – 11:24 am
Denise - Great recipe! Because my friend, Marci, found it on Pinterest, she reviewed it on the blog: http://pineatreview.com/2012/03/22/chicken-broccoli-supreme-get-off-your-butt-and-bake/. (Naturally, credit and links are given to you throughout.) Thanks for posting your good eats!March 22, 2012 – 9:22 am
Jonna - Hi Robin,
Yes…just make a roux instead.
Heat your butter to a bubble, and quickly whisk in 2 or 3 tablespoons of flour until well blended. Over med. heat add the milk/broth slowly,
and continue whisking until it’s thickened. Turn heat to low and add the cheese.
This will set up after it sits for 5 minutes before you eat it.
JonnaMarch 13, 2012 – 7:50 pm
Robyn - Can I use flour instead of corn starch? CS is not something I have on-hand…
Thanks for the recipe!March 12, 2012 – 5:36 pm
Denise Arenson - I have this in the oven right now. Can’t wait! We didn’t have any poppy seeds, so that was left out. Hope it doesn’t affect the taste too much. I have several other recipes picked out to try. Thanks for publishing such good stuff!March 11, 2012 – 8:46 pm
Jonna - Hi Shannon,
You should be able to get at least 6 good size portions.
JonnaMarch 9, 2012 – 8:37 am
Shannon Gallagher - What is the yield and serving size?March 8, 2012 – 8:25 pm
Mylinda - I made this today and added brown rice on top of the chicken. I used 1% milk, and only half of the cheese. Used Toll House crackers sparingly because that is what I had. Very delicious and Hubby liked it. Next time might add a little onion, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and shredded carrots. I’m trying to lose weight also, and when I figured the calories and divided by 8 servings – YIKES. Delicious but the canned soup has less calories. I will make again and it is nice to have a recipe for a delicious sauce if I don’t have a can at home. Thanks.March 6, 2012 – 3:32 pm
Kirsten- The Foreign Domestic - I featured your recipe today–it was SO good! Thank you! http://www.theforeigndomestic.com/2012/03/from-your-kitchen-to-mine-recipes-36-40.htmlMarch 6, 2012 – 9:56 am
blythe - I also came over here from Pinterest.
Delicious recipe! I changed it a bit… I didn’t want to use corn starch, so I made a roux with 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour over medium-high heat. Browned that up, added just the milk, salt, pepper, and a little bit of ground mustard. Whisked frequently to get a nice creamy sauce, then threw in about 2 cups of the cheese, stirred it and quickly took it off the stove. In the mean time, I’d cooked 1 cup of quinoa, which bulked up to more than 2 cups of cooked. I mixed the quinoa in the cheese sauce and then poured it over the chicken and broccoli in the greased casserole dish. I used panko bread crumbs on top mixed with 1/2 stick butter. Same cooking time. Seriously good.March 2, 2012 – 5:34 pm
Jonna - Hi Ashley,
Yes…it means Cups. I will be more precise in the future.
I guess I just assume that everyone can read my “chicken scratch!”
You will love this.
JonnaMarch 2, 2012 – 11:55 am
Ashley - Can someone tell me what the “C” means? I thought it meant cup but then I see “cup” actually spelled out. Thanks!March 2, 2012 – 11:10 am
Jonna - Hi Amanda,
I think you could use the crock pot for everything, except maybe for the crumb top.
Possibly use a toaster oven if you have one, to brown the crumbs…or just sprinkle them on the top without the addition of butter.
Make sure that you use already cooked chicken, and really all you would need to do in the crockpot, is just let it warm through,
until it’s hot and bubbly.
JonnaFebruary 28, 2012 – 10:28 am
Amanda Avery - This sounds super tasty!! I really want to make it but don’t have an oven. Do you think I could make this in a crock pot?
Thanks so muchFebruary 27, 2012 – 9:58 pm
Karen - Made this tonight. It was a big hit and made a great deal of food. Won’t have to cook tomorrow night! I made a simple green salad and voila, dinner was done. I took me a little time to prepare this dish, but I think it was only because I was a bit nervous making it the first time.February 27, 2012 – 6:38 pm
chelsea j.f. - I had to do some tweaking to the recipe, but once I did it tasted great. I added 1 tsp curry powder (the secret ingredient in my family’s recipe)and a little lemon juice and it turned out great! I also grilled my turkey (didn’t have chicken) in my george foreman to give a little more crispness to the texture. Instead of Ritz crackers I toasted bread to crumble on top (hopefully it knocked off at least a few calories!).February 26, 2012 – 10:14 pm
Jonna - Hi Nina,
Yes it’s really good! I often make the same sauce, toss it with pasta, and add pieces of chicken breast and steamed veggies. Top this with crumbled bacon! Yum.
JonnaFebruary 25, 2012 – 5:50 pm
Nina - Very excited to be making making this for dinner tonight! Do you think this would be good with pasta included? Would I need to increase the amount of the cheese sauce?February 25, 2012 – 2:46 pm
Charlotte Perrow - I adore this recipe. I have been making it over and over! Thanks for sharing!!February 25, 2012 – 1:46 pm
Jonna - Hi Sarah,
Possibly you could use low fat milk, reduced calorie cheese, and the reduced fat ritz crackers….with a low fat butter substitute.
You could also just leave the crumb topping off, or even just sprinkle panko crumb over the top without butter!
JonnaFebruary 22, 2012 – 10:33 am
SARAH - this looks wonderful, but I was wondering about how healthy it is. My husband and I are trying to lose some weight and eat a little healthier. Would this be something healthy, just wondering about all the butter??February 22, 2012 – 8:53 am
Kirsten- The Foreign Domestic - This looks yummy. Do you mind if I feature you in my new series 100 recipes from 100 blogs? You can read more about it here: http://www.theforeigndomestic.com/2012/01/from-your-kitchen-to-mine-100-recipes.htmlFebruary 21, 2012 – 11:19 am
Jonna - Hi Megan,
I haven’t ever tried to freeze this before, so unfortunately I really can’t advice you on how well it might turn out.
Possibly, you could have everything in the freezer and ready, like the chicken, broccoli or any other veggie you might like.
That way, all you will have to do is quickly make the sauce. If you do try to freeze it, let us all know how it works!
Thanks for visiting,
jonnaFebruary 21, 2012 – 10:17 am
Megan - This recipe sounds like it will be delicious! How well would this freeze? I am expecting my first child this summer and looking for meals I can prepare ahead of time and freeze. I guess I could always prepare my chicken and freeze it that way I could just throw it all together when the time comes.February 21, 2012 – 8:34 am
Crystal - Made this last night and it was a big hit!!! Kids and Hubby loved it! It’s now a new house fav!
I loved the homeade cheese sauce supper yummy! Left out the poppyseeds…I’m just not a big fan of them. But it turned out amazing!February 21, 2012 – 6:47 am
Heather - I love this recipe, and I’m not really a casserole lover. The only change I make is using cauliflower, in addition to the broccoli, and I omit the poppy seeds because I don’t own any. This is so delicious! I am making it for supper tonight and I can’t wait. I also think it tastes even better on the second day.February 19, 2012 – 3:50 pm
Jonna - Thanks Angie.February 13, 2012 – 6:54 pm
Jonna - Hi Angie,
I think it would be delicious!
Good idea.
JonnaFebruary 13, 2012 – 6:51 pm
angie d - nevermind… just read the post from terraFebruary 13, 2012 – 5:14 pm
angie d - already got all the ingredients ready to make but im wondering how it would work if i turned it into a chicken and rice dish? maybe layer some cooked rice on the bottom before layering the other ingredients? i plan on serving rice with it any way (my husband LOVES rice):)February 13, 2012 – 5:10 pm
Stephanie L - I can’t wait to try this!! All the other Chicken & Broc recipes I have come across seem so boring. EXCITED!
February 11, 2012 – 5:51 am
Drea - this was sooo good. i used panko tho instead of ritz crackers
was so good.February 10, 2012 – 2:44 pm
Jessica - I tried this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! My boyfriend and I stuffed ourselves and there was still plenty of leftovers. I love a filling dinner. Thank you for posting! Making the sauce instead of using canned soup really did make a difference. I just wish I knew how many weight watchers points it was…!
February 8, 2012 – 7:20 pm
Jonna - Hi Carolyn,
I would think 5 to 6 servings. If I’m not using leftover chicken breasts, I would normally use half of one whole chicken,
and freeze the rest.
Hope this helps,
jonnaFebruary 7, 2012 – 9:33 am
Carolyn - How many servings does this usually make? And do you use one whole rotisserie chicken instead of 3 breasts? Thanks!February 6, 2012 – 7:55 pm
Jonna - Hi Susan,
I would think that 1 to 1 1/4 cups of cracker crumbs would be sufficient. I usually decrease the amount of butter
used in the crumbs, to save a few calories. You will just want enough butter, to bind the crackers together a bit.
jonnaFebruary 2, 2012 – 10:32 am
susan - hi. how many ritz crackers is two tubes? im gluten free and need to substitute gluten free crackers and need to know how many? thanks!!! 1 cup? some kind of measurement please.February 1, 2012 – 9:29 pm
Brittany Harris - AWESOME!!! words cant explain!January 30, 2012 – 8:50 pm
Olivia Douglass - Definitely going to try this!!
January 28, 2012 – 8:33 pm
Jonna - Hi Jessica,
Yes…they would work just fine.
jonnaJanuary 27, 2012 – 8:26 am
Jessica - I plan on trying this recipe tomorrow…Would club crackers work instead of ritz crackers?January 25, 2012 – 8:35 pm
Kim - Thanks for this AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL recipe! Love it! I’ll be making it again! Just wanted to share that next time, I’m going to top it with Stove Top Stuffing. It makes another great topping. Just mix a package with a stick of butter and top your casserole. Thanks again and take care!!January 19, 2012 – 10:55 am
Jonna - Hi Taryn,
Sometimes I use frozen broccoli, and then I need to make al little more cornstarch/water mixture.
Next time, just mix a teaspoon or more cornstarch into the water, and slowly add it.
You might also try cooking it a bit longer. Crack the corner of the foil on top as it bakes, this will help thicken
the sauce as well. Hope this helps.
JonnaJanuary 19, 2012 – 10:00 am
Taryn - My husband LOVED the dish but mine came out a bit runnier than what I would’ve thought. I think it had to do with my cornstarch in the dissolved water – there was still some at the bottom of my small glass and it hardened so I didn’t even try mixing in. Any tips on how not to have this happen the next time?January 18, 2012 – 7:49 pm
Jonna - Hi Tiffany,
When I make this, I usually use leftover chicken from the previous nights meal. Whatever method you use, will work just fine.
JonnaJanuary 18, 2012 – 5:14 pm
Tiffany Farmer - How should I “cook” the chicken? Boil, saute, fry???
Thanks!January 18, 2012 – 3:15 pm
Becky Neeley - I have this in the oven right now! It looks beautiful. . .can’t wait!! It was so easy to put together with ingredients I have on hand! I love when that happens!January 13, 2012 – 7:30 pm
Jonna - Thanks for the great tip!January 2, 2012 – 7:12 pm
Mariah - The recipe sounds delicious!
Quick tip: I’ve recently realized how amazing pre cooked rotisserie chicken is. If you buy it cold at the deli, its a few bucks cheaper, too. I believe its 3.98 at Wal-Mart for a whole chicken. I dice it up and use it in so many recipes callin for cooked chicken.January 2, 2012 – 12:11 pm
val - Oh my word…this looks divine!December 13, 2011 – 4:59 pm
nicole - I made this tonight. wow soo very good. this one is a keeper. the only substitue I made was the cheese. Didn’t have cheddar on hand, but I did have a bag of shredded monterey jack/mild cheddar. So I used that instead. Came out good.December 12, 2011 – 7:09 pm
Suzanne - I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, but have one question. The Ritz cracker packaging has just been re-designed so that now there are more tubes with fewer crackers. About how many cups of Ritz crackers do you think you normally use?
Thanks so much!December 10, 2011 – 8:55 pm
Kelly - Oh and we too serve over rice. Both my 3 year old (picky eater) and 1 1/2 year old love it…enough said
December 9, 2011 – 2:16 pm
Kelly - I came across this recipe about a month ago on Pinterest and am so happy I did! This has become a weekly favorite in my household. Thank you so much for sharing the delicious recipe!December 9, 2011 – 2:14 pm
ellis - I’ve made the traditional chicken & broccoli casserole before but this looks even yummier (if that’s a word).
) Making it tonight; thanks for sharing!December 7, 2011 – 8:13 am
Jonna - Hi Randi,
Yes..I’ve used frozen many times!
JonnaDecember 5, 2011 – 6:12 pm
Randi - Would you be able to use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?December 5, 2011 – 11:40 am
Terra - I also found this on Pinterest. However, for a more substantial meal, I added 4 cups of cooked rice to the bottom of my casserole dish and then poured my broccoli, chicken, and cheese sauce on top. I also made 1 1/2 times the cheese sauce. And I served it with rolls. Delicious! Thanks for sharing.December 4, 2011 – 2:06 pm
Naomi - I’ve made this a couple times since finding it on pinterest and I have to say, this is by far the BEST broccoli chicken casserole I have ever tried. Even my finicky 21 month old tore it up, and getting him to eat green vegetables is like pulling teeth! Thank you for such a wholesome, simple meal idea.November 30, 2011 – 6:37 pm
Dorothy - We tried this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! I put in chia seeds instead of sesame, because that’s what I had and I didn’t put the layer of cheese on top.November 30, 2011 – 6:00 pm
Joanna - This chicken casserole is great, I add a little curry powder, a scant 1/4 tsp give or take, I never measure. One of my kids favorites!November 29, 2011 – 5:43 pm
Trace - Just made and it was fantastic!November 23, 2011 – 1:21 pm
Amber - I am going to try to make this tonight! I found it on pinterest. Do you think I could use whole chicken breast instead of cutting them up?November 21, 2011 – 11:57 am
Tiffani - I found this on pinterest. We tried it over a month ago but forgot to come comment. Wonderful recipe. We loved it.November 21, 2011 – 11:48 am
Angela - Just made this for dinner and the family loved it! Normally my husband doesn’t care for broccoli in a casserole but I think steaming it beforehand was key and who could not love anything in that cheesy sauce! Thank you!!!November 14, 2011 – 9:28 pm
Kelsey - Pinned onto my board right now…. ingredients are bought I am about to begin! Sounds so yummy!! I love broccoli!!November 7, 2011 – 4:07 pm
Jen - I found this recipe on pintrest, and have been looking for freezer friendly meals for our neighborhood meal swap, this totally fit the bill….in fact, I froze it from already cooked stage(even with the breadcrumbs on top), then later defrosted and stuck in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes to heat it back up! WONDERFUL! I didn’t have any chicken stock so I just used a chicken bouillon cube in with the water milk and butter, and didn’t add any extra salt…..great flavor!November 7, 2011 – 3:05 pm
Robyn McCullem - Just made this tonight. We were running low on regular milk, so I substituted regular milk for 2 cups of buttermilk that we had plenty of. It was amazing. This will definitely be a repeat dish for sure.November 3, 2011 – 8:06 pm
Ally S - Made this today for lunch! Halved the recipe as I was cooking for just me. Didn’t have poppy seeds and used a different kind of cracker. It was really good though. Tasted like a pot pie
Thanks for the recipe!October 23, 2011 – 1:05 pm
collette - I also found this on pinterest. It is in the oven now. Can’t wait to try it. the sauce seemed to need a little something so I added a 1/2 Tablespoon chicken seasoning. YUM! really bumped up the flavor. I also didn’t have RITZ crackers so I used club crackers.October 21, 2011 – 3:41 pm
Ann Marie - My mom has a chicken caserole recipe we all love. I made this tonight and it was a hit. I made some changes because we like our broccoli small and crisp so I didn’t pre-cook the broccoli and I only used the tips. Didn’t have cornstarch so used just flour. I made bread crumbs with some days old whole wheat bread instead of crackers and it was delicious!!! Big hit with the family. Thanks!! Glad I found your site through pinterest…there are more recipes we are going to be trying!!!!October 20, 2011 – 7:59 pm
Candace Karu - Thank you so much for this recipe. I ignore the ones that have canned soup in the ingredients. I know it’s easier, but just not as tasty or wholesome. Can’t wait to try this!October 12, 2011 – 8:32 am
Jonna - Hi Traci,
I’ve never used canned chicken, but if it high quality all white chicken breast in the can…it should would just fine.
I also love rotisserie chicken in this.
JonnaOctober 6, 2011 – 10:54 am
Traci - What about canned chicken? Have you ever used that?October 6, 2011 – 10:19 am
Jonna - Thanks Madison!September 30, 2011 – 8:16 am
Madison - Made this last night for a group of friends- SO delicious. SO many compliments. One of my faves to make now!September 29, 2011 – 1:44 pm
Jonna - You will LOVE this version! It’s sooooo good.September 20, 2011 – 2:38 pm
Melissa - This is very similar to my horrible canned soup broccoli casserole, I am looking forward to trying this version, yummy!September 20, 2011 – 2:28 pm
Jonna - Hi Cassandra,
Yes….use one stick for the crumb crust and an additional 1/3 cup for the sauce.
If you want a lot of crumbs, use both packages of crackers and 1 stick of butter.
For less crumbs, use 1 package of Ritz crackers and 1/2 stick of butter.September 19, 2011 – 5:04 pm
Cassandra - Can you clarify if you use an entire stick for the crumb topping and an additional 1/3 cup for the sauce?
thanks! love the site!September 19, 2011 – 2:01 pm
Tonya - Yummy can’t wait to try tonight!September 19, 2011 – 1:43 pm
Shannonlynn - Yummy! Added a ranch dressing package for a little extra seasoning…even better!September 18, 2011 – 7:20 pm
Ms. Megan - I’m another fan coming over from Pinterest. I love the fact that this recipes calls for a simple, homemade sauce. I can’t want to make this for dinner this week!!! I think I’m going to try it with breadcrumbs.September 11, 2011 – 9:45 pm
Mary - I’m making this right now. Didn’t add the poppy seeds bc I’m too lazy to look for them lol. Substituted wheat/sesame crackers for 1/2 the Ritz bc I didn’t have enough Ritz and I wanted to use them up. I was a little confused about the butter. I used 1/3 cup for the sauce and the rest of the stick for the crumbs???? I’m sure it will be yummy
September 10, 2011 – 3:58 pm
jane - Has anybody tried freezing it and can report back? I’m vegetarian and never ate meat, but I like cooking for my DH that eats meat. This recipe looks easy, delicious, but would only work for us if I can freeze whatever leftover I have so he can eat later.
Btw I also came from Pinterest.September 8, 2011 – 8:03 am
Jonna - Hi Sarah
Bread crumbs would also be good. Just make sure they get crispy!September 4, 2011 – 4:05 pm
Jonna - Hi Tiana
I’ve actually never tried freezing this before. Sometimes milk or cream based sauces don’t freeze well, but I think this just might freeze just fine.
I would add the crumb topping after you defrost it however.September 4, 2011 – 3:57 pm
Tiana - This looks fantastic and I will definitely be trying this soon! If I made a double batch, would the second be freezable (before baking)?September 3, 2011 – 6:10 pm
sarah w - what about bread crumbs??? i dont have any type of crackers and am hoping that seasoned bread crumbs would work…August 30, 2011 – 4:02 pm
A Smashing Dinner | because you asked me to - [...] found the recipe posted onto Pinterest which is where I find most my recipes these days. I tweaked it a little by [...]August 25, 2011 – 7:00 am
sherri lynn @ life of a wife - I’m so glad to have a recipe that doesn’t use cream of chicken soup! Can’t wait to try this version!August 18, 2011 – 2:48 pm
Jonna - Yes…I do believe that Saltines would work just fine!
You will love this.
JonnaAugust 18, 2011 – 10:40 am
Michelle - I saw this on pintrest too and I REALLY want to make it tonight but have no Ritz… Do you think saltine crackers would work??August 18, 2011 – 10:21 am
Patricia - This looks so delicious!!! But my oven isn’t working right now, how would it work over pasta??
ThanksAugust 16, 2011 – 9:40 am
Autum - Yum! Found this on pinterest and am so glad I did. I made it for supper tonight and it was a big hit. It will definitely be in my rotation. I didn’t have poppy seeds and used pepper jack cheese-itz crackers for the topping. It was delicious!August 13, 2011 – 6:59 pm
Jonna - Hi Megan,
I usually use leftover Chicken Breasts from the following nights dinner. I just slice it very thin and cut it in small pieces.
Rotisserie Chicken is also very good in this as well.
Thanks for visiting!
JonnaAugust 11, 2011 – 5:14 pm
megan - I came from pinterest as well. It’s in the oven right now and I am SO excited. Especially because it doesn’t require the “cream of soup”!
Can I ask how you cooked your chicken? I’m always looking for tips.
August 11, 2011 – 2:08 pm
ludmi - I come here from pinterest, excellent recipe! I’ll make this!August 1, 2011 – 11:38 am
Melissa - I recently pinned this recipe on pinterest. I made it for dinner tonight & oh my goodness it is wonderful. It can be hard to find good & easy casserole recipes that don’t call for canned soups. This was delicious & am adding it to our recipes to make often. Have you tried to freeze it? Just curious how it turns out if you did. Excited to look around your blog and try some other recipes too.July 26, 2011 – 4:12 pm
Audrey - This sounds SO yummy!!! Gonna try it this week!!July 14, 2011 – 11:41 am
KC - I made this over the weekend and it is a keeper! My family loved it. I will make and make again! Thank you Jonna!June 21, 2010 – 8:48 pm
Meredith - My husband and I made this Friday night for our date instead of going out. We had so much fun and it was SOO yummy! I love when you post easy dinner ideas for little newly weds like myself
I need all the help I can get! Thanks for sharing all your yummy recipes!March 15, 2010 – 1:04 pm
Melissa - I think I’ll make this too!March 13, 2010 – 8:51 am
Lynn - WE had this for supper tonight! SOoooo good!!!March 8, 2010 – 10:46 pm
ingrid - YUM! My SIL made this but with out the chicken. Adding chicken is a brillant idea, making this cooker friendlier!
YUM, we’ll be eating this later this week!
~ingridMarch 8, 2010 – 10:54 am