Recipe Background
Dinner-Made-Easy Casserole: Quick comfort food with a crunchy top.
Years ago, during my first snow day as a parent, I discovered this casserole recipe. Thick snowflakes were falling hard, and the kids, bundled in mismatched layers, had barreled inside, cheeks flushed and noses pink. Soggy mittens were flung over the heater as I rummaged through the pantry to whip up something comforting and easy. Digging through my supplies, I found a can of cream of chicken soup and smiled at the chance to use my stash of buttery crackers. Always keeping those on hand had become a sort of tradition—just in case a hearty crumble was called for.
With the aroma of sautéing onions and garlic wafting through the house, I had a flashback to the smokey kitchen last winter when I’d learned the elegance of letting each aromatic ingredient truly shine. Mixing them with chopped red bell pepper added a beautiful pop of color. The real trick, however, was ensuring the crackers on top stayed gloriously crunchy, balancing perfectly with the juicy chicken and melted cheddar. Letting it bake just a moment longer than the norm allowed the cheddar to become bubbly and irresistibly golden. That snowy day, watching the smiles on my children’s faces as they took their first bites, I knew this dish would become a staple for wintry days ahead.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 28 buttery crackers crumbled
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and roughly chop it.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the same skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion, the bell pepper, the garlic, and the black pepper to the butter and cook until the onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the cream of chicken, the sour cream, and the milk to the veggie mixture and mix well.
- Pour the veggie mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Top the veggie mixture with the cooked chicken.
- Melt the remaining butter in the microwave.
- In a medium bowl, add the crumbled crackers, the cheese, and the melted butter. Toss to coat.
- Sprinkle the cracker mixture over the chicken.
- Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 30-35 minutes.
- Serve hot.
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