Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Recipe

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Recipe is a British-style poultry bake featuring tender chicken breasts and vibrant broccoli florets. This hearty main uses a smooth cheese sauce and buttery cracker topping for a satisfying crunch.

If you do nothing else, make sure the chicken breasts are even in thickness. I learned that the hard way when the smaller pieces turned into rubber whilst the thick ones were still pink in the middle. Give the thick ends a gentle bash with a rolling pin before they go into the dish.

The cracker topping is doing more work than you’d think here. Without that layer of butter-soaked crumbs, the sauce can sometimes form a skin in the oven. It’s the kind of traybake I make on a rainy Tuesday when everyone needs a win.

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Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Recipe Ingredients

For the Chicken and Broccoli

• 1.1kg (2.4lb) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 225g (8oz) broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
• 115g (4oz) cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2g (½ tsp) seasoned salt

For the Sauce and Topping

• 300g (10.75oz) tin of cheddar cheese soup
• 350ml (12fl oz) full-fat milk
• 120g (4.2oz) Ritz crackers, crushed
• 60g (2oz) butter, melted

How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Recipe

1. Preheat the oven: Set the temperature to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and lightly grease a 23x33cm (9x13in) baking dish. You need the oven hot enough to ensure the chicken cooks through properly in the allotted time without the broccoli becoming mush.
2. Whisk the sauce: Stir the cheddar cheese soup and the full-fat milk together in a bowl until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Use a whisk to combine them properly so the sauce doesn’t split or look grainy once it heats up.
3. Season the chicken: Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared dish and sprinkle both sides with the seasoned salt. Arrange them so they aren’t overlapping, which helps every piece cook at the same rate.
4. Layer the vegetables: Pour three-quarters of your cheese sauce over the chicken and scatter the broccoli florets evenly across the top. If you’re using fresh broccoli, cut any large stems into bite-sized pieces so they soften at the same speed as the meat.
5. Prepare the topping: Mix the crushed crackers with the melted butter in a small bowl until the crumbs look like wet sand. Spread this mixture over the broccoli layer to create a barrier that traps steam and keeps the chicken moist.
6. Drizzle the rest: Pour the remaining quarter of the sauce over the cracker crumbs in a thin stream. Do not soak every crumb, as you want some areas to stay dry enough to get crispy in the heat.
7. Bake the dish: Place the tray in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F). Check the thickest part of the meat with a knife to make sure the juices run completely clear.
8. Melt the cheese: Scatter the shredded cheddar over the top and return the dish to the oven for 2 minutes. Take it out once the cheese has turned into a bubbly, melted layer and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

iRecipe Tips

• Check your chicken thickness. If your breasts are particularly large, they will take longer than 25 minutes to cook through. Cut them in half lengthways to create thinner fillets if you want to keep the cooking time consistent.
• Use fresh broccoli where possible. Frozen florets release more water as they thaw in the oven, which can make the cheese sauce a bit thinner. If you do use frozen, let them defrost and pat them dry with kitchen roll first.
• Don’t over-crush the crackers. You want small chunks rather than a fine powder to get the best texture. Aim for a mix of sizes so the butter has different surfaces to grip onto.
• Prepare the sauce in advance. You can whisk the soup and milk together the night before and keep it in the fridge. This makes the actual assembly take less than five minutes when you get home from work.
• Swap the cheese for variety. Whilst cheddar is the classic choice, a bit of Red Leicester adds a great colour to the finished dish. Just make sure you grate it yourself rather than buying the pre-shredded stuff which doesn’t melt as well.

What To Serve With Broccoli Cheddar Chicken

This bake is quite substantial on its own, but it pairs well with simple sides that can soak up the extra cheese sauce. Try it with a pile of fluffy long-grain rice or some buttery mashed potatoes.

If you want something lighter, a crisp green salad with a sharp lemon dressing cuts through the richness of the cheddar. You could also serve some crusty white bread to mop up every last bit of the sauce.

How To Store Broccoli Cheddar Chicken

• Fridge: Place any leftovers in an airtight container once they have cooled down completely. They will stay fresh for up to three days. Keep the container away from strong-smelling foods like onions as the dairy in the sauce can absorb those scents.
• Reheat: The best way to reheat this is in the oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 15 minutes to keep the crackers from getting soggy. If you use a microwave, the topping will lose its crunch, so only do this for a quick lunch and cover the dish with a paper towel.
• Freeze: You can freeze this recipe for up to two months in a freezer-safe container. Defrost it overnight in the fridge before reheating. The sauce might look slightly separated after freezing, but a quick stir after reheating usually brings it back together.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 485
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 980mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

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