Chicken and Broccoli Casserole – Recipe enthusiasts

Published: Jul 11, 2023 by Drizzle · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

I love a good hearty casserole dish, especially during the cold winter months. This chicken and broccoli casserole is a cheesy simple dish the whole family can enjoy. It has basic ingredients and comes together easily with a little prep time.

This recipes makes 6 – 1.5 cup servings at at 8 WW points per serving (5SP on the purple program, 7SP on the blue program and 9SP on the green program).

I hope you enjoy it. And if you”re a casserole lover like myself, you may enjoy these 24 Easy Weight Watchers Casseroles, which includes all of my best casseroles.

And for more variety check out these roundups of some of my favorite casseroles I’ve come across over the years.

Why You Should Try This Chicken And Broccoli Casserole

This chicken and broccoli casserole offers a great source of protein all the while being a relatively simple recipe to make. The sharpness of the cheddar cheese paired with the savory chicken and green broccoli make this a dish that is both comforting and filling.

This is no simple chicken casserole, it’s a full meal that hits on everything you can ask for.

Another reason to try this dish is that it is easy to re-heat if you have leftovers. You can simply cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer for a later date. All you need to do is reheat is pop it into a microwave (thawed if from the freezer) and you are good to go!

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time:

Total Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb bag mini potatoes
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Salt &  black pepper
• Dash of paprika
• 2 tablespoon light butter
• 2 garlic cloves diced
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 1.5 cups milk *I used 1%
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese * I used a 3 cheese blend
• 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 16 oz cooked cubed chicken breasts
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets *frozen broccoli should work as well

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F, cut the mini potatoes in half, toss with oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper.
2. Spread potatoes on a baking sheet, I lined with some parchment paper and bake on the medium-high heat (450f) for 30 minutes.
3. If you have not cooked the chicken yet you can do so at the same time, although not at that temperature in the oven, you can cook on the stove in a frying pan or in the air fryer *My chicken was pre-cooked in the oven before the potatoes
4. Once the potatoes are done lower oven temp to 350F, you can now make the cheese sauce, in a large pan on the stove melt the butter over medium heat, add in the diced garlic, once the butter is melted add in the flour, it will form a paste.. slowly whisk in the milk until it has all blended with the paste.
5. Cook over medium-low heat, it will start to thicken..add in 1 cup of shredded cheese and 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese *leave 1 tablespoon aside for topping. Stirsauce for 3-5 minutes untill all cheese has melted. Turn stovetop off and then add in the chicken and broccoli, gently stir then add in the potatoes and stir again.
6. Transfer  the mixture to a 9×13 sprayed casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese on top and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, check the potatoes are cooked through, some ovens vary and may require a few extra minutes for the potatoes. The key is tenderness with the potatoes so make sure they are fork tender.
7. Makes 6 servings, 9-9.5oz per serving *approx 1.5 cups
8. Store any leftovers in the fridge and this dish will freeze well.

WW Points

• 1.5 lb bag mini potatoes – 12 points
• 2 teaspoon olive oil – 3 points
• 2 tablespoon light butter – 8 points
• ¼ cup all purpose flour – 3 points
• 1.5 cups milk *I used 1% – 5 points
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese – 13 points
• 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese – 3 points
• Servings: 6
• Total points per serving: 8 points

Variations and Substitutions

• Use sharp cheddar cheese for a more savory flavor. Chicken broccoli casserole goes well with sharper cheeses due to the savoriness and creaminess within the dish, so the sharper the better!
• If you want more of a crust, you can use crackers or bread crumbs sprinkled on top. Ritz crackers are a favorite for this casserole, as they are buttery and add a great crunch once baked. Sprinkle some italian seasoning on top of the crust before baking to get an italian herb flavor on the dish. You can even mix italian seasoning, crushed crackers and cheddar cheese in a bowl and sprinkle on top for a truly delicious crust.
• Garnish this casserole with chopped parsley for a fresh taste and great color when you eat it.
• Take out half of a cup of milk and add in half of a cup of chicken broth for an even deeper chicken flavor.
• Sub in a can of cream of mushroom soup for the milk if you want a thicker casserole with the umami flavor of mushrooms. This will offer more depth to the casserole and the mushrooms pair well with the chicken.
• If you are using cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken is the way to go. The seasoning from the whole cooked chicken is delicious once mixed in with the casserole. Simply pull the chicken and dice it.

Tips And Tricks for Making Chicken And Broccoli Casserole

• If you want some more crust on the casserole, feel free to bake it in a cast iron skillet. A large skillet will be big enough to hold the casserole, and as it bakes the cheese will caramelize on the sides and leave you with a very tasty end recipe.
• When mixing the casserole, be sure to be gentle. You just want to mix in the chicken thoroughly, while leaving large chunks after so that you can enjoy them when you eat. Do not shred down the chicken too much.
• Be sure to check the potatoes throughout the cooking process. You want them to be tender but not too mushy. Cooking your chicken beforehand will help with being able to just focus on the cook of the potatoes.