Recipes and Cooking

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole – An Easy, Family-Friendly Meal

Need a warm, hearty dinner that’s packed with flavor and sneaky veggies? This Chicken and Broccoli Casserole checks all the boxes. It’s comforting, cheesy, and simple to pull together. You can even make one for now and freeze another for later—mom win!

If you’ve got picky eaters in the house (don’t we all?), this is the perfect dish to sneak in some extra nutrients. I like to toss in finely chopped cauliflower and spinach—thanks to the creamy cheese sauce and seasonings, they’ll never know the difference!

The key to pulling this off? Have it baked and cleaned up before your crew comes flying into the kitchen asking, “What’s for dinner?” 😉


Ingredients

  • Cooked chicken (see tips below)

  • 32 oz. broccoli, steamed and chopped

  • 1 large onion, chopped and sautéed

  • Fresh garlic to taste

  • 2 cans mushrooms, drained

  • 16 oz. pasta, cooked and drained

  • 1 tsp. lemon pepper

  • 1 tsp. dried basil

  • 1/3 cup milk

  • 8 oz. Velveeta

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup

  • 1 can cream of chicken soup

Optional Add-Ins:

  • Chopped cauliflower

  • Chopped spinach

  • Minced onion


Topping

  • 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers

  • A bit of butter for browning


Instructions

  1. Prepare the Chicken
    You can cook and shred chicken breasts in broth, use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or even go with canned chicken in a pinch (just drain and season it up).

  2. Flavor the Broccoli
    After steaming and chopping your broccoli, stir in a little seasoning and minced onion for added flavor. This step makes a big difference!

  3. Mix It All Together
    In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the topping. Stir, stir, stir—until everything is creamy and well mixed.

  4. Assemble the Casserole
    Pour the mixture into a greased 13×9 baking dish.

  5. Prepare the Topping
    Brown the Ritz crackers in a little butter, then sprinkle them over the casserole.

  6. Bake
    Bake at 350°F for 35–45 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.


Results & Leftovers

This recipe makes enough for two full 13×9 pans! We enjoyed one for dinner (with plenty of leftovers), and I popped the second into the freezer for a busy day. I love having meals on hand that I know everyone will eat—without fuss.

Let me know if you try it—and if your picky eaters notice those sneaky veggies! 😉