Chicken Broccoli Bake

Name: Chicken Broccoli Bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter; 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or substitute with 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning for less sodium); 1 1/4 cups water; 1 1/4 cups half and half cream (substitute whole milk plus 2 tablespoons butter for lighter version); 4 tablespoons cornstarch; 4 tablespoons cold water; 4 cups broccoli florets, slightly steamed; 4 cups cooked noodles (egg noodles or penne work well); 3 cups diced cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut); 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (monterey jack mixed with mozzarella if you want more melt and less bite)

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 22 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A baked dish combining tender chicken, crisp broccoli, and noodles all wrapped in a creamy sauce thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Uses aromatic seasonings like garlic and onion powder balanced by chicken bouillon for depth. Cheese finishes with a melty, slightly browned top. Prep and cook times approximate; rely on visual and tactile cues for doneness.

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 45 min

Total: 70 min

Servings: 12 servings

#American #casserole #chicken #broccoli #cheesy #comfort food #baked dishes

Starting with a blank pan, butter melting slow and steady. The sizzle of spices waking up in the pot. Broccoli pops green from the simmering cream base. Noodles nestle beneath neatly cut chicken chunks, waiting for the sauce hug. Foil seals in steam, time softening bites. Then comes the pop of cheese onto hot surface, melting into golden bliss. Not all casseroles coax their best flavors from sheer timings. Watch the shimmer on sauce before anything goes in oven. Smell the savory dance of onion and garlic powder toast. That’s the secret handshake you don’t skip anymore.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or substitute with 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning for less sodium)
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups half and half cream (substitute whole milk plus 2 tablespoons butter for lighter version)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cold water
4 cups broccoli florets, slightly steamed
4 cups cooked noodles (egg noodles or penne work well)
3 cups diced cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (monterey jack mixed with mozzarella if you want more melt and less bite)

About the ingredients

Butter — essential for rich base but swap for olive oil or ghee if butter’s scarce or dairy-sensitive. Bouillon granules pack umami but can over-salt—try mushroom bouillon or a teaspoon soy sauce for twist. Half and half adds silkiness; if you only have milk, toss in a bit of cream or thicken more with extra slurry. Broccoli florets fresh or frozen after a quick steam or blanch to keep color bright. Chicken? Rotisserie or leftover roast works great, no fuss. Cheese — sharp cheddar gives bite, but mixing in mozzarella softens outcome for those who shy from sharp edges. Cornstarch slurry thickens with less risk of lumps than flour; cold water your friend here, no shortcuts.

Method

Preheat oven to 345°F. Grease 9x13 casserole pan thoroughly with non-stick spray or rub with butter to avoid sticking.
In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat, melt butter. It should foam and sizzle gently, not brown quickly.
Add onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon granules. Stir and let dry spices toast slightly for 90 seconds. Smell should bloom—not burn.
Pour in measured water and half and half gradually. Whisk briskly to combine and prevent lumps. Mixture looks thin but will thicken soon.
Make cornstarch slurry: dissolve cornstarch in cold water separately until fully smooth. Add slurry slowly to simmering sauce while whisking vigorously.
Keep over medium heat, whisk continually until sauce thickens to creamy coat-the-back-of-a-spoon texture. Should have gentle bubbling but not rolling boil.
Toss in broccoli florets. Stir gently just 1-2 minutes until broccoli turns vibrant green and softens a bit. Avoid overcooking here—will finish in oven.
Layer cooked noodles evenly in casserole dish, scatter diced chicken across top uniform. Pour broccoli and sauce mixture over noodles and chicken. Stir lightly to coat all.
Cover tightly with foil—seal edges well to trap steam. Bake in preheated oven about 28-32 minutes until broccoli is fork-tender and interior bubbles quietly.
Remove from oven, uncover, stir gently to redistribute sauce and mix layers slightly to prevent dryness on top.
Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over surface. Cover loosely again or leave uncovered for browned cheese crust. Let rest 5 minutes to melt cheese or bake uncovered 7-9 minutes for golden finish.

Cooking tips

Butter should melt with a gentle foam, not brown immediately. Toast sleeves of dry spices just until fragrant, or risk bitter edges. Adding cold slurry slowly, whisk nonstop—skip this and face sticky lumps. Sauce consistency matters — too thin and your bake floods, too thick and it gels oddly when chilled. Toss broccoli last and briefly—overcooked mush is real and sad. Noodles first, then chicken scattered unevenly will mess with texture; layer spread evenly avoids dense patches. Cover casserole tightly; foil seals steam letting broccoli soften without drying edges. Resting cheese covered lets it melt fully without hard edges, uncovered for crunch but watch carefully—cheese burns fast. Stir casserole right out of oven to bind sauce back into noodles—don’t skip or dry patches form.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter melts slow with foam, watch closely. Too hot browns fast—choke flavors. Toast dry spices lightly on medium; strong aroma pops but not bitter char. Wait for smell to bloom. Timing tight here, 90 seconds max. Cornstarch slurry cold water mix separate. Add slow or lumps appear throwing off texture. Whisk hard but steady. Sauce thickens once bubbles show gentle not a big boil. Too high heat ruins sauce mouthfeel.
💡 Broccoli goes in last, after sauce thickens. Just 1-2 minutes stir gentle bright green with bite left. Over-soft mush kills snap and texture contrast. Frozen works but steam quickly, watch water content—too wet weakens sauce hold. Noodles layer first evenly, then chicken diced scattered uniform. Uneven layering means dense dry chunks later, ruins bite. Stir gently before baking to coat right but don’t mash noodles.
💡 Foil is key to steam broccoli finish and keep edges moist. Seal tightly with no gaps or dry oven edges kill freshness. Probe doneness by fork-tender broccoli, quiet bubbles inside. Baking time varies with oven hot spots, no clock exact. Rest cheese with cover melts fully creamy edge, uncovered crisps cheese fast—watch last 7-9 minutes closely. Burnt cheese bitter, no forgiveness there.
💡 Liquid swaps—half and half replaced by milk plus extra butter or dollop cream if lighter preferred but sauce less rich. Bouillon granules pack umami, can over salt. Mushroom bouillon or teaspoon soy sauce act different ways, less sodium option. Butter substitute olive oil or ghee changes flavor and richness. Cornstarch preferred over flour for less risk of lumps. Fresh chicken rotisserie short cut; leftover roast works no fuss.
💡 Cheddar sharp cut bite but blends heavy; mix mozzarella or Monterey Jack for melt without strong edges. Slurry ratio important, too little means thin sauce floods; too much makes jello like texture chilled. Whisk nonstop adding slurry slow, cold water keeps mix smooth. Sauce must coat the back of spoon and hold on gentle bubbles. Stir casserole after baking to redistribute sauce so no dry patches form on top.

Common questions

Why add dry spices before liquids?

Toasting dry powders blooms aroma; smell changes from raw to nutty. Adds depth. Skip and flavor feels flat. Watch 90 seconds carefully or spices burn bitter, ruins base.

Can I use frozen broccoli?

Yes but steam or blanch first briefly. Frozen releases water when cooking—thins sauce. Overcook mushes texture. Quick steam, vibrant green kept. Adjust bake time accordingly.

Sauce lumps or too thin?

Cornstarch slurry cold water mix. Add slowly with whisk swirling nonstop. Hot pot thickening slowly, thin sauce means slurry not enough or pour too fast. Lumps? Stop, keep whisking vigorously. Avoid thick jello effect by watching slurry ratio closely.

Leftovers storage?

Cool fast, cover tight. Fridge 3-4 days best. Microwave reheating—stir halfway through for even heat. Freeze okay but sauce texture can change, reheat gentle. Bake edges dry if reheated long without moisture, add splash milk if reheating.