The Scoop
This chicken casserole turns a fridgeclean-out into a single cohesive personality.
Tell your therapist you are practicing self-care, and by that, we mean smothering pre-cooked chicken, rice, and broccoli in a velvety mountain of sharp cheddar and cream cheese.
This casserole is the ultimate reward for surviving another day. It’s got a buttery cracker crust that shatters perfectly, and it’s a 10/10 recommend for celebrating life's small victories (like cleaning out the fridge on a Friday).
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed or blanched
- 3 cups rice, cooked
- 3 cups chicken, cooked, diced or shredded
- 1 cup buttery crackers, coarsely crushed
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onion to the butter and cook until it is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the flour to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring, until the onions are coated, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk the milk into the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add 2 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cream cheese, the salt, the pepper, the paprika, and the garlic powder to the sauce mixture and stir until it is smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, the rice, and the chicken and stir to combine.
- Combine the chicken mixture with the sauce and toss to evenly coat.
- Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the crushed crackers over top of the casserole.
- Bake the casserole until it is bubbly, the topping is browned, and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the parsley and serve.
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