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I’m a huge fan of this Chicken Broccoli Casserole, a tasty blend of perfectly cooked broccoli and succulent, juicy chicken, all smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce. It’s an easy recipe that’s free from any processed ingredients, making it a wholesome choice for any meal!
For another cheesy, comforting dish perfect for any meal, try this meatless broccoli cheese casserole, that’s also loaded with rich, creamy flavors.
Chicken Broccoli Casserole, also known as Chicken Divan, is a beloved warm classic that everyone adores. This particular recipe stands out because it achieves that lusciously smooth and creamy cheese sauce without relying on condensed soups. Instead, it uses just cream, broth, real cheese, and a touch of natural cornstarch, making it low-carb, gluten-free, and a lighter option. We all love how the tender pieces of chicken breast, mushrooms, and broccoli florets come together in a cheesy, herb-infused sauce. It’s the kind of comfort food that brings both satisfaction and joy!
Ingredients For Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Cooked Chicken Breast: You’ll need 1-1 ½ pounds cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped. Rotisserie chicken can be substituted.
- Olive Oil
- Baby Portobello Mushrooms: Also known as Crimini.
- Broccoli Florets: About 4 cups total. Baby broccoli florets are great, but you can also use regular florets – if you do, cut larger florets into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Fresh Garlic: Mince or put through a garlic press.
- Salt and Pepper
- Dried Basil, Oregano, and Thyme
- Mozzarella Cheese: About 8 oz. shredded mozzarella, divided.
- Chicken Broth: I use low-sodium broth.
- Cornstarch
- Heavy Whipping Cream: You’ll need ½ cup of cream; half-and-half may be substituted but the sauce may not be as thick.
- Chopped Fresh Parsley: For garnish
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Chop/Shred the Chicken and Layer in Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Then shred or chop the cooked chicken and arrange in the baking dish.
- Saute the Veggies: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in broccoli and garlic; season with salt, pepper, basil, and oregano, and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Layer this mixture over the chicken.
- Make the Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine a tablespoon of chicken broth with cornstarch and whisk until pasty. Add the remaining chicken broth to the hot skillet; whisk in cornstarch paste, heavy cream, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until it just starts to thicken.
- Add the Sauce to the Casserole: Pour this sauce over the chicken mixture, and stir well; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake and Serve: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil bake for 9 to 10 more minutes, or until light golden on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- To make this casserole ahead, first prepare the chicken, veggies, and sauce separately. Then, assemble the entire casserole up to the point of baking. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- If you’re preparing the chicken breasts for this dish, rather than using a rotisserie, my stove top chicken breast method is super fast and easy. Simply season the chicken breasts, sear them for about 6-7 minutes per side, and finish with a tablespoon of butter.
- If freezing, place the prepared chicken, veggies, and sauce in individual freezer bags, pushing out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw ingredients overnight in the refrigerator, assemble the casserole the following day, and bake according to the recipe.
Serving Suggestions
This dish has a lot of indulgent umami flavor, thanks to the mushrooms, cheese, chicken, and broccoli. I like to pair it with my Radish Cucumber Tomato Salad as a side or starter. A simple side of Maple Roasted Carrots adds color and sweetness to the menu. You can also serve this casserole with a Light Skillet Cornbread for the main course, followed by a surprising dessert, like my Strawberry Pretzel Dessert, to round out the menu.
Storing and Reheating
- Store leftovers in tightly-covered containers for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator (if frozen). Bake the leftovers at 350˚F, covered, until heated through.
More Chicken Casserole Recipes
- Cheesy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole
- Broccoli and Chicken Quinoa Casserole
- Cheesy Chicken Spinach Bake
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Zucchini Casserole
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Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 pounds cooked chicken breasts,, chopped or shredded; you can also use rotisserie chicken.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces sliced baby portobello mushrooms
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper,, to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese,, divided
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- red pepper flakes, , for garnish, optional
- grated parmesan cheese,, for garnish, optional
- chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in broccoli and garlic; season with salt, pepper, basil, and oregano, and continue to cook for 3 more minutes, or until just beginning to soften.
- Shred or chop cooked chicken and arrange in baking dish.
- Remove mushroom and broccoli mixture from pan and layer over the chicken. Set aside.
- Set skillet back over medium-high heat. In a small mixing bowl combine 1 tablespoon chicken broth with 2 teaspoons cornstarch; whisk until pasty. Add 1 cup chicken broth to the hot skillet; to the skillet, whisk in the cornstarch paste, heavy cream, thyme, salt, pepper, half of shredded mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
- Remove from heat and pour sauce over chicken mixture inside the baking dish; using a spoon, stir and mix until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 9 to 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and light golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with red pepper flakes, grated parmesan cheese, and parsley. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I think I would have liked this but I was really confused-are you supposed to let the shredded cheese melt in the sauce or not??? I did for a little bit but then I got worried and removed it, and the cheese turned into be big giant clump that I ended up throwing away…what was I suppose to do with it? Keep melting or let it stay unmelted??
Hi!
You want to continue to bake it until the cheese melts. In the recipe card, under step #6, it says, “Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 9 to 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and light golden brown on top.” I hope that helps.
Hello, Iโm just making this for the first time for a friend and it all smells divine. Iโm a little worried that I may have messed it up as I only heated the sauce for about 3 minutes before mixing it in, which didnโt really give it a chance to thicken. Will it still turn out okay? I am crossing my fingers!
Thank you for a way to turn my rotisserie chicken into something special!
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit with my guys. Everyone had seconds. I did increase the quantities. This will definitely made regularly at our house! Thank you so much, I needed another good dinner option.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
But the time I located the ingredient list proportions it was close to not worth the effort and time expended.
Made it yesterday, was delicious! I saw someone else add bread crumps to the topping so I did too. Came out lovely thank you
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
I made this last night but increased the quantities because my people can eat ๐ . It came out amazing. My mozzarella cheese was a mix with maasdamer (a little sharper) and it came out soooooo good. The entire tray was finished. Thank you!
Is there any substitutions that can be made to cut the fat content?
Hi!
You can use fat-free or low fat shredded cheeses, and you could also use half & half in place of the heavy cream.
Hi. How much of the mozzarella should be added to the sauce? Ingredients say 8oz divided and instructions say nothing about adding to sauce just to top with remaining. I’m sure I can just use best judgement and it would still be good, but I’m curious about the recommended amount. Thank you.
Hi!
You want to add half of the shredded cheese to the sauce, and sprinkle the rest of it on top of the casserole; see step 4 and step 5 in the recipe box. I hope this helps.
Meh. Not much flavor, even adding onions and a little sherry to the sauce.
Did you try adding more salt? That’ll usually do it. Not always, but most times, a little more salt is key.
Can you cook this in a crockpot? Also can you add squash and zucchini if you want, what adjustments would need to be made?
Can I make this ahead and leave in the fridge for a few hours before baking?
Hi!
Yes, that will definitely work.
Anything I can use to substitute the mushrooms?
Hi!
You can just leave them out completely, or you can maybe try using slices of zucchini, or any other squash. Sundried tomatoes would also go well.