Cracker Barrel broccoli cheddar chicken is chicken breasts baked under broccoli, a cheddar cheese soup sauce with shredded cheddar, and crushed Ritz crackers, at 350F for 45 minutes. That makes this Cracker Barrel broccoli cheddar chicken recipe a casserole you can assemble in 10 minutes and have on the table in under an hour.
Using thin chicken breasts or cutting thick ones in half horizontally is the step that decides whether the chicken is done when the timer goes off. A full thick supermarket breast will still be raw in the centre at 45 minutes, because the cheese sauce insulates the top and slows the heat from reaching the meat. Thin breasts cook evenly under the layers without needing extra time.
Nothing in this recipe needs to be precooked except defrosting the broccoli. The sauce is canned cheddar cheese soup thinned with milk, mixed with shredded cheddar and half a teaspoon of paprika, and poured over the raw chicken. The Ritz crackers go between the two layers of sauce rather than on top, which lets them absorb into the cheese and thicken it instead of sitting there as a dry crust.
Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes45
minutes489
kcalRaw chicken breasts seasoned and layered into a casserole dish, topped with a cheddar cheese soup sauce, scattered with defrosted broccoli and crushed Ritz crackers, then covered with more sauce and baked until golden. No precooking, no roux, one dish.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
Directions
- Set up the dish:Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a casserole dish. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and lay them in a single layer.
- Mix the sauce:Stir together the milk, cheddar cheese soup, paprika and shredded cheddar in a bowl until combined.
- Layer the casserole:Pour half of the cheese sauce over the chicken. Scatter the defrosted broccoli pieces on top of the sauce. Spread the crushed Ritz crackers over the broccoli, then pour the remaining cheese sauce over the crackers.
- Bake and serve:Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Let it cool slightly before serving.
FAQs
Why is my chicken still raw after 45 minutes?
The breasts were too thick. This recipe is built around thin chicken breasts because the cheese sauce and broccoli on top slow the heat from reaching the meat. If yours are large, slice them in half horizontally before assembling so each piece is no more than half an inch thick. Bigger uncut breasts need at least 55 minutes.
Why is the sauce runny instead of thick?
The Ritz crackers are designed to absorb into the sauce and thicken it, which only works if they are layered between the two pours of sauce rather than sitting on top. If you want it even thicker, reduce the milk to 3/4 cup. A commenter also found that swapping cream of chicken soup for the cheddar cheese soup helped when the cheddar version ran thin.
Can you use fresh broccoli instead of frozen?
Yes, but steam or blanch it first for 2 to 3 minutes. Frozen broccoli has already been blanched before it was frozen, so it softens in 45 minutes at 350F. Raw fresh broccoli starts from scratch and will still have bite in the centre when the chicken is done.
Can you swap the Ritz crackers for something else?
Saltines or Townhouse crackers both work as substitutes. Breadcrumbs will thicken the sauce differently since they absorb more liquid. If you want a crunchy top instead of crackers blended into the sauce, toss the cracker crumbs with a tablespoon or two of melted butter and scatter them over the final layer of sauce.
Can you assemble this the night before?
Yes, and a commenter asked the same question. Layer everything in the dish, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time since the casserole is starting from fridge temperature. The sauce may look slightly looser when it first comes out, but it tightens as it sits.
