Chicken Broccoli Casserole with Cheesy Crumb Topping
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This easy and cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe is a crowd-pleaser and a personal family favorite chicken dinner! Creamy sauce topped with a cheesy, buttery crumb topping creates an irresistible and yummy flavor in my down-home casserole.
Why you’ll love this Chicken and Broccoli Casserole!
This broccoli chicken casserole has been appearing on my family’s dinner table for years — I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve made it!
Recently, I decided to tweak it a bit and use a fresh homemade version of cream of chicken soup introduced to me by the Center Cut Cook instead of that gooky canned stuff!
The result—a creamier, tastier, and fresher casserole similar to chicken divan that’s even more delicious than it was before. Add one to the win column!
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli — Either frozen or fresh broccoli florets works.
- Chicken — Boneless skinless chicken breasts work best since you won’t have to navigate around the bones, and it’s easier to cut into cubes. To make it really easy, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the market.
- Mayonnaise — I prefer lite olive oil mayonnaise, and it’s a gluten-free option. If you prefer, you may use half mayonnaise and half sour cream.
- Lemon juice — Use lime or orange juice as a substitute, vinegar, or citric acid.
- Yellow curry powder — Ground cumin, coriander seeds, or curry paste can be used if you don’t have any on hand.
Homemade Chicken Condensed Soup
- Butter — For a dairy substitute, use Ghee, Greek yogurt, or olive oil.
- All-purpose flour — Rice, almond, or wheat flour are a few replacements you can use here.
- Chicken broth — If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, use chicken bouillon, or vegetable broth if you have to.
- Milk — Coconut milk offers a sweeter flavor, but other kinds of milk like almond, cashew, or oat milk also work.
Crumb Topping
- Ritz crackers or bread crumbs — If you don’t have either on hand, crunch up croutons or use crushed almonds.
- Unsalted butter — You want unsalted here, so it showcases the flavor.
- Cheddar cheese — Another cheese can be substituted like Colby.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Putting this casserole together is simple. Just layer the steamed broccoli and cooked chicken in the baking dish, then cover with the cream soup mixture and cheesy cracker topping. It is ready for the oven in no time and turns out irresistibly tasty.
STEP 1 | Preheat and spray
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9×12 casserole dish with your cooking spray of choice so the cheesy goodness won’t stick to the baking dish.
STEP 2 | Cook the broccoli
Let’s face it, we don’t always have fresh veggies lying around. If you’re using frozen broccoli, cook it according to the package directions. Drain the broccoli and place it in the casserole dish.
If it’s fresh, cook until tender, drain, and transfer to the dish. Once cooked to your desired tenderness, spread the broccoli evenly across the bottom.
STEP 3 | Layer the chicken casserole
After the broccoli, add the tender chicken (already cooked and chopped) evenly across the top. Now it is starting to come together.
STEP 4 | Mix the creamy sauces
Really, this part is what makes the dish so good. Mix the curry powder, lemon juice, and mayonnaise into the homemade chicken condensed soup and stir until it’s smooth. (Or if you’re using canned soup, do the same.)
Now, spread the cream sauce with a rubber spatula evenly on top of the chicken in the casserole dish.
STEP 5 | Assemble and sprinkle the topping
Crush the crackers and combine them with the shredded cheese. Generously sprinkle the mixture on top of the casserole, making sure to cover the corners and sides.
This is the best part — take the golden melted butter and drizzle it all over the cracker cheese topping.
STEP 6 | Bake
Time for the oven! In 25 to 30 minutes, the curry casserole should be hot and bubbly and smelling so delicious. Bake the casserole uncovered, so the topping gets nicely crisp and golden brown.
Tips from the Home Chef’s Kitchen
Homemade Chicken Condensed Soup in 3 Easy Steps!
Really, you must try the homemade cream soup route. It’s flavorful and only takes a few extra minutes, and it definitely looks much more appetizing than what pops out of a condensed soup can!
STEP 1 | Melt the butter
In a small saucepan, melt four tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add your flour and stir it until it’s smooth and well blended.
Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously as the slurry lightly browns. Then it will thicken and be creamy and smooth like a paste.
STEP 2 | Add in the milk
Now slowly add the ½ cup of milk and chicken broth while whisking the mixture until it has a nice creamy and thick texture.
STEP 3 | Season the cream sauce
Remove the chicken soup from the heat and stir in the salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I think once you try it, you’ll be using this homemade version for all your favorite casserole recipes. Of course, I won’t judge if you decide to use canned condensed soup in this recipe simply for ease!
Variations and Substitutions
- Chow mein noodles or crispy onion pieces typically reserved for green bean casseroles are a couple of ideas for adding flavor and crunch to your chicken and broccoli bake.
- You can also try thinly sliced onions. Caramelize them until the edges are crisp, and place them on top of your casserole.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- To reheat, place in a 350-degree oven until warmed through, or portion out servings and heat in the microwave until hot and bubbly.
- If preparing this recipe as a freezer meal, layer all the ingredients in a disposable aluminum pan. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to cook, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use a metal pan. Metal pans may give you a browned crust on the bottom, whereas glass casserole dishes cook with a creamier base.
Remove the casserole and cover with aluminum foil. If it’s going to be a longer wait, then you can place it back in the oven to keep warm after a few minutes when the heat’s had a chance to subside.
You want to follow the instructions when cooking a casserole. Overcooking can dry it out and cause ingredients to break down.
Sure, it’s fine to reheat more than once. However, if you know you’re going to reheat again, portion out what you won’t eat before heating so it doesn’t get dried out.
Looking for more Comforting Casserole Recipes?
You will also want to whip up one of these easy casseroles: my Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, Creamy Spinach Spaghetti Casserole, and this delicious Chicken Noodle Casserole.
What to Serve with Cheesy Chicken Casserole
Make it a complete meal! What goes better with a serving of satisfying comfort food than bread? My Biscuit Bread or Peppery Cheese Quick Bread is a tasty pairing with this chicken recipe.
Then finish the night with this balanced combo of tartness and sweetness in my Mini Key Lime Pies. And, you can’t go wrong with this fresh summer Tropical Fruit Salad.
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Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 10 oz. pkg. frozen broccoli florets or 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken (cooked and cut into 1-inch cubes)
- ½ cup lite olive oil mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon yellow curry powder or more if you like
Homemade Chicken Condensed Soup
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup 2 percent milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers or bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9×12 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain and place in casserole dish.
- Layer cooked, chopped chicken on top of broccoli.
- Add curry powder, lemon juice, and mayonnaise to the homemade chicken condensed soup (or a can of chicken condensed soup) and stir until smooth. Spread the mixture evenly on top of chicken in the casserole dish.
- Combine the crushed crackers and cheese and sprinkle on top of the casserole. Drizzle the top with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
- Bake uncovered at 350-degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Homemade Chicken Condensed Soup
- In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add milk and chicken broth, whisking continually until mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper.
Notes
- Substitute 1 10-oz. can chicken condensed soup in place of the homemade condensed soup.
- If using fresh broccoli, steam for 5 minutes and drain well before adding to the casserole dish.
- If you like a stronger curry flavor, double the amount of yellow curry powder.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
This was a hit for a weeknight meal! That little bit of curry made all the difference.
I had some leftover chicken and this casserole was so easy to make and creamy delicious! I never have prepared soup on hand anymore so didn’t even have to run to the store. Bonus!
This made a delicious and easy weeknight dinner for our family of 4!
I’ve made this several times and it’s always a hit. Easy to make, calls for good ingredients (homemade soup instead of canned ones), and it taste AMAZING. This recipe is a keeper.
We love this recipe!! We make it as is, using cream chicken soup as a time saver.
We don’t typically eat curry, but in this recipe it is just a hint, and so delicious.
I use stove top stuffing on the top. Much more taste than any crackers. After i cook the dressing i put it between two pieces of foil or parchment paper and roll it out to fit the casserole dish.put it on with a spatula.
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Hello, I don’t like curry at all and neither does my family. What herbs or spices would you suggest as a good tasting alternative because we love everything else in your recipe. Thank you!
Holly, the curry flavor isn’t that strong (just in case you ever want to try it), but in its place I’d suggest using thyme since that’s a flavor that compliments poultry. Let me know how it turns out and if you like it!