The Scoop
If your current adult coping mechanism involves chasing nostalgia and craving food that feels like a warm hug, this is about to become your new hyper-fixation meal!
Enter the Cherished Chicken Bake!
This recipe takes the absolute elite comfort of a vintage casserole and upgrades it for the modern kitchen. We are talking about tender rotisserie chicken, cozy pearl barley, and green beans bathed in a rich, velvety sauce made with garlic, caramelized onions, white wine, and cream cheese.
But the absolute best part? The cheat-code topping!
Instead of boring breadcrumbs, we are crushing up actual Cheez-Its, tossing them in melted butter, and baking them into a crispy, salty, cheesy crust that will instantly trigger your happiest core memories.
It’s comforting, it’s slightly chaotic in the best way possible, and it is the exact low-effort dinner luxury you deserve tonight!
Â
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 3 cups pearl barley, cooked
- 8 ounces green beans, steamed and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 cup cheese crackers, such as Cheez-It® crackers, crumbled
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
- In a medium pan over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add the onions and the garlic to the melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the flour to the onion-garlic mixture and cook, whisking constantly, about 1 minute.
- Add the white wine and the chicken stock to the onion mixture and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the sauce mixture, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened, about 4-6 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, to the sauce mixture and stir until it is well-combined.
- Add the parmesan cheese to the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Cook until it is smooth.
- Add the salt and the black pepper to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the shredded chicken, the cooked barley, the green beans, and the parsley to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the remaining butter and heat it in the microwave until melted.
- Add the crumbled cheese crackers to the melted butter and stir to coat.
- Evenly sprinkle the cracker topping over the chicken mixture.
- Bake the chicken bake until it is golden and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes.
- Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and let the chicken bake stand, about 10 minutes.
- Serve.
×
