Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

One of my go-to meals to make is sautéed chicken with broccoli, but having that over and over can get a bit old, so I thought I’d change it up a bit. And there’s nothing like a nice hot casserole for dinner on a chilly day…total comfort food.

This casserole is a simple mix of chicken breasts (cut into chucks and sautéed) and broccoli (frozen and thawed) that is combined with a creamy mixture of sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and some other delicious ingredients. Ritz crackers are sprinkled on top for some added texture and flavor, and then the whole thing is baked until it is lightly browned on top.

 

This is chicken and broccoli taken to the next level…

 Soooo good!!!

 

Ingredients:

 
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small (about one-inch) pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
Juice of ½ a lemon
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
20 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed
Salt and pepper
2 cups cooked rice
12 Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tbsp. butter, melted

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Sprinkle the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring every so often, until the outside of the chicken just starts to brown slightly but the center is still a bit pink. (don’t worry…it will finish cooking in the oven). Transfer the chicken to a bowl (discard any juices).

2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and sauté the onions for one minute, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Transfer the onions and garlic to the bowl with the chicken.

3. In another large bowl, blend together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon juice, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and the cheddar cheese and stir until well mixed. Add to this the chicken, onions, garlic, broccoli, and rice, and toss to combine everything together.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and sprinkle the Ritz crackers evenly over the top. Drizzle the melted butter over the crackers. Bake for 37-43 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and the top is lightly browned.

 

Enjoy!