Broccoli Chicken or Turkey Supreme

Dinner tonight is actually a recipe I want to share with you before

Thanksgiving because its such a great recipe for using

our leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. 

I first knew of Broccoli-Chicken Casserole because it

was the first dish my father learned to make after he retired

and my mother was still working.  He wanted to have dinner

ready for her! How sweet is that? (Miss you dad!)

But, I have to tell you, most of those recipes (including the

one my dad used) called for canned soup. 

 

I'm happy to say this recipe I'm sharing with you has NO canned

soup.  It is scratch-made using a cheese sauce and made with

crumbled (and buttered!) Ritz crackers for its topping...

I didn't say it was lower in fat!

 

Tonight I made this casserole with some leftover shredded chicken

breast that I had in the frig and had been needing wanting to use.

 

I broke up the fresh broccoli florets, leaving them on the

larger side, and then steamed them for 3 minutes.   

I placed them in the bottom of a greased

baking dish and sprinkled the shredded chicken over top.

 

The cheese sauce was then made by melting butter and adding

seasonings, milk, a little chicken broth, and a slurry of cornstarch and water.

It thickens beautifully then shredded cheddar cheese is added and

combined until melted and smooth.

This cheese sauce is now poured over the top of the chicken and broccoli
with more cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

 

For the topping, I used Ritz' Roasted Vegetable crackers,

crushed them in a ziploc, again leaving pieces on the large side, then

added them to melted butter.  The topping was sprinkled

over the top of the casserole then baked. 

The recipe makes a 9x13 but I improvised and

made only an 8x8 because there was only two of us for dinner. 

I served it along side one of my favorite salads which includes
 dried cranberries, pecans, feta, ripened pear, and an unusual,
but tasty, dressing made by combining two different dressings.  Check
back in a day or two and I'll share that salad recipe with you as well.

 

This isn't the normal Broccoli-Chicken Casserole

and it certainly deserves the title of Supreme.

I hope you keep it in mind come Friday and you have

all your leftover turkey.

 

Here is the recipe: 

 

Broccoli Chicken Supreme

Makes a 9x13 baking dish.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh broccoli, broken into florets.

3 cups cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2 sleeves Ritz crackers

1 stick melted butter
 

Cheese sauce:

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups milk

1/2 of the cheese listed above.

 

Directions:

Steam broccoli florets for 3 minutes.  Grease a 9x13 baking dish and layer the broccoli and the chicken.  Set aside. In a saucepan, combine the melted butter, cornstarch slurry, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk.  Stir with a whisk and continue whisking until sauce has thickened. Take pan off heat and add 1/2 of the cheddar cheese and whisk until melted and smooth.  Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.

 

Topping:

Crush the Ritz crackers in a ziploc.  Melt butter in a bowl and add the crushed crackers to combine.  Sprinkle topping over the top of the grated cheese.

 

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Cover with foil if topping is getting too browned before its done.  Let it sit and cool slightly before serving.

 

Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting!

 

I will be linking with

 

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays

Stone Gable's On The Menu Mondays

Rattlebridge Farm's Foodie Friday

 

 

Fondly,

~ Karen