That is a simple casserole filled with savory hen, creamy sauce, completely cooked broccoli, and essentially the most superb butter cracker topping so as to add an ideal contact of texture. You’ll end up coming again to this one time and again for an ideal weeknight choice! We love casseroles as a result of they aren’t solely straightforward to throw collectively but additionally as a result of they’re so scrumptious! This traditional hen divan has broccoli, hen, and a creamy made-from-scratch sauce with actual elements like cheddar cheese, bitter cream, and a touch of mustard. It’s a tasty improve from the standard!
For extra casserole concepts, strive our Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole or our Tasty Taco Casserole.
Why Our Recipe
- Our recipe makes use of a sauce made out of scratch somewhat than canned soup.
- You’ll be able to’t go fallacious with that buttery Ritz cracker topping!
- This casserole could be made forward of time and saved till able to bake, making for an ideal meal prep choice.
Casseroles are the epitome of ease and comfort, and this one isn’t any exception! Prep time is just not lengthy, and the meeting will take you mere minutes. If you wish to make this forward of time, it’s tremendous straightforward to prep forward of time after which refrigerate or freeze till you’re able to bake it!
Ingredient Notes
- Hen: Rotisserie hen is a good time-saver right here, however any leftover cooked hen will work. You’ll want about 2 kilos or roughly 4 cups of hen.
- Frozen Broccoli: No must thaw these beforehand – they’ll prepare dinner completely within the oven. In the event you want contemporary broccoli, you’ll be able to substitute it, however steam the florets for 7 minutes to melt them earlier than layering.
- Stuffing: We don’t suggest any particular model of stuffing, so be happy to get whichever model is your loved ones’s favourite.
- Bitter Cream: In the event you want a substitute, Greek yogurt works effectively in equal quantities.
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar is right for this recipe, however a gentle cheddar or different cheeses like Gruyère or Monterey Jack work too.
- Ritz Crackers: We suggest utilizing Ritz crackers for the casserole’s topping, however it’s also possible to use an ordinary breadcrumb topping as a substitute for those who want!
- Mayonnaise: In the event you’re not a fan of mayo, you should use an equal quantity of plain Greek yogurt or much more bitter cream.
- Lemon: For this recipe, you have to the juice from two medium-sized lemons. In the event you don’t have lemons, it’s also possible to use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, however we suggest freshly squeezed for those who can to essentially get that tangy, citrus taste.
Making the Sauce
Among the best elements of this casserole is the sauce, which is completely creamy with a slight tang from the lemon juice and bitter cream. Many different casseroles use cans of creamed soup to make the sauce, however taking the additional step to make your personal sauce will make such an enormous distinction that you simply’ll by no means need to use premade sauces once more! The sauce isn’t sophisticated to make, and all it takes is a few stirring and warming on the range. That’s it!
Make Forward Possibility
This meal is a good choice if you wish to meal prep for a busy day afterward within the week. You may make this casserole as much as 24 hours forward of time after which retailer it within the fridge till you’re able to bake it. In the event you use this technique, you have to to bake it for a little bit longer, about an hour whole.
If you wish to make it even additional forward of time, it’s also possible to freeze the casserole earlier than you bake it. Cowl the casserole with a number of layers of plastic wrap or foil, and you may retailer this in your freezer for as much as three months. Permit to thaw within the fridge in a single day earlier than baking, and then you definately’ll must cowl it with foil for the primary half-hour it’s within the oven. When you’ve eliminated the foil, prepare dinner uncovered for an additional 45–55 minutes.
Storage and Reheating Directions
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 7 days.
Freeze leftover parts in an hermetic container or resealable plastic freezer bag. Thaw within the fridge in a single day.
Reheat parts within the microwave on excessive in 30-second increments, stirring in between for even heating.
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