Chicken Broccoli Casserole |
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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Minutes |
Ready In: 11 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Southern comfort food. My mom makes this when cold weather hits - ooey, gooey, and oh so rich. Occasionally, I'll swap out part of the cheddar cheese with Velveeta Crumbles. Cook time includes time for the casserole to sit. You can use about a pound of cooked chicken breasts, shredded or cubed, in place of the canned chicken. Ingredients:
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli |
2 (10 ounce) cans white chicken meat packed in water |
16 ounces cottage cheese |
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted |
1 cup mayonnaise |
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups shredded) |
36 ritz crackers (1 sleeve) |
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) or 8 tablespoons margarine (1 stick) |
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F Thaw the broccoli, making sure it is well-drained. Drain the canned chicken chunks.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, and cheddar cheese.
3. Spoon half of the broccoli in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread one can of the chicken over the broccoli, followed by half of the cheese mixture from step 2. Smooth with a spatula, and repeat layers. You will end with the cheese mixture on top.
4. Crush the Ritz crackers, and melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the cracker crumbs to the melted butter, tossing to coat. Spread over the top of the casserole.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly and the crackers are slightly browned. Let set for 30 minutes before serving.
6. NOTES: Casserole can be assembled through step 3 the day ahead. Cover with foil and store in the refrigerator until time to bake. Pick up with step 4. Also, the cracker topping can be made by melting the butter in the microwave, crushing the crackers in a large ziptop bag, and pouring the butter over the crumbs. Squeeze the bag to make sure the butter is distributed evenly. Ingredients can be swapped for their low-fat counterparts, but the texture won't be as creamy.
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