Why You’ll Love This this Dreamy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
This creamy, comforting casserole brings together tender chicken and broccoli in a rich, dreamy sauce that honestly feels like a warm hug on a plate. You’ll love how ridiculously simple it’s to throw together – we’re talking dump-and-bake territory here, which means less time fussing in the kitchen and more time doing whatever makes you happy. The combination of cream of chicken soup, mayo, and a splash of lemon juice creates this luscious, tangy sauce that transforms ordinary ingredients into something that tastes way fancier than the minimal effort you put in.
Ingredients List
This simple chicken and broccoli casserole requires just six basic ingredients that you probably already have lurking in your pantry and freezer.
- 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli
- 2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 0.5 (10 1/2 ounce) soup can milk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
A Few Things to Keep in Mind:
- This isn’t exactly what you’d call a health food – between the cream soup and mayo, we’re definitely in comfort food territory here
- You can lighten it up by using light mayo and reduced-sodium soup if that makes you feel better about seconds
- The frozen broccoli actually works better than fresh for this recipe since it won’t release as much water during baking
- Don’t stress about the chicken – rotisserie chicken from the store works perfectly and saves you a ton of time
Step by Step Directions
This classic comfort food casserole comes together in just a few simple steps and bakes hands-off in the oven.
- Prep your pan: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Layer the broccoli: Place both packages of frozen chopped broccoli in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Add the chicken: Distribute the cooked, bite-sized chicken pieces evenly over the broccoli layer.
- Make the sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, milk, mayonnaise, and lemon juice, whisking until smooth.
- Assemble: Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken and broccoli layers.
- Bake: Place in preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
- Rest: Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to set up.
Having the right casserole baking dish is essential for achieving even cooking and making cleanup easier for this recipe and many other one-pan meals.
Substitutions and Variations
• Crunchy topping magic: Sprinkle crushed crackers, breadcrumbs, or even crushed potato chips on top before baking.
Because sometimes we all need a little textural excitement in our lives.
• Make it creamy dreamy: Use cream of mushroom soup instead of chicken soup, or go wild and use half of each.
Living dangerously in the soup aisle is perfectly acceptable.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This casserole plays well with others, meaning it pairs beautifully with sides that won’t compete for attention.
- Rice or pasta – Because sometimes you need a little extra carb cushion to soak up all that creamy goodness, and to be frank, who doesn’t love a good carb-on-carb situation.
- Simple green salad – Something crisp and fresh to cut through the richness, like a palate cleanser that actually makes sense instead of those fancy sorbet things nobody understands.
- Crusty dinner rolls – Perfect for the inevitable sauce-sopping that will happen, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll use them as tiny shovels.
- Roasted vegetables – Carrots, bell peppers, or zucchini work great, though adding more broccoli might be overkill unless you’re really committed to the green vegetable life.
- Garlic bread – Because garlic makes everything better, and this casserole is no exception to that universal truth.
- Mashed or roasted potatoes – Yes, it’s carb city, but sometimes comfort food requires backup comfort food, and I’m not here to judge your life choices.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
- Let it rest – I know waiting is torture when something smells this good, but give it 10 minutes to settle after baking, or you’ll end up with a molten lava situation that’ll burn your tongue faster than you can say “comfort food.”
- Check the chicken temp – If you’re using raw chicken instead of pre-cooked, make sure it hits 165°F in the thickest pieces, because food safety isn’t negotiable even when we’re feeling lazy.
Nutritional Facts
Based on 8 servings, each portion contains approximately:
- Calories: 385 per serving
- Protein: 22g – excellent source from chicken breast
- Total Fat: 28g – primarily from mayonnaise and cream soup
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g – contributed by broccoli
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 950mg – consider low-sodium soup to reduce
- Calcium: 15% DV – from broccoli and dairy ingredients
- Vitamin C: 80% DV – broccoli is a powerhouse source
- Vitamin A: 25% DV – from broccoli’s beta-carotene
- Iron: 8% DV
Fun “Did You Know?”
Did you know that broccoli wasn’t actually popular in America until the 1920s, when Italian immigrants introduced it to mainstream culture? I find it fascinating that this nutritious vegetable was once considered exotic!
Another fun fact: chicken and broccoli casseroles became hugely popular in the 1950s when convenience cooking took off. The combination of cream soups and frozen vegetables made these dishes accessible to busy families.
What’s even more interesting is that broccoli contains more vitamin C than oranges! When you’re enjoying this comforting casserole, you’re also getting a serious nutritional boost alongside that creamy, satisfying flavor.
