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chicken broccoli cheese bake

(1 rating)
lavenderfire1467 avatar
Recipe by
Stephanie Rudy
@lavenderfire1467
Orlando, FL

My daughters beg me to make this dish! It is a little time consuming to brine, but it really makes a big difference in the taste and texture of the chicken. If you are pressed for time you can brine for one hour. Boneless meat doesn't take as long to brine as on the bone, or large pieces of meat.

(1 rating)
yield 12 serving(s)
prep time 3 Hr
cook time 1 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For chicken broccoli cheese bake

  • 1 1/2 lb
    Mini Penne, or any hearty pasta you prefer
  • 1 large
    Sweet onion
  • 6 c
    Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 3 - 4 lb
    Chicken breats, boneless, bite size
  • 2 lb
    Broccoli, fresh, bite size
  • 2 jar
    Three Cheese Alfredo Sauce
  • 1 can
    Condensed Cheddar and Broccoli Soup
  • 1/2 c
    White Wine
  • 1 Tbsp
    mayonnaise
  • Milk and/or Half and Half
  • Olive Oil
  • Kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder to taste
  • For Brine
  • 1/4 c
    Kosher salt
  • 1 qt
    water
  • 2 Tbsp
    Brown Sugar
  • Extra seasonings are optional in brine

How To Make chicken broccoli cheese bake

  • 1
    For Brine: In a large bowl or pot add 1 Quart of water, 1/4 cup of kosher salt, and 2 heaping tablespoons of brown sugar, add any seasonings you prefer. Mix well. Add boneless chicken and submerge for only 2 hours. Remove from brine after 2 hours, so the chicken wont be to salty. This really makes a big difference in the chicken, it is much more flavorful and tender.
  • 2
    After chicken is brined, cut it into bite size pieces. Set aside.
  • 3
    Cook penne for about 9 minutes til aldente, not mushy.
  • 4
    Saute onion in olive oil and set aside, then saute chicken with seasonings and set aside.
  • 5
    Add white wine to the pan and deglaze. Add condensed soup and alfredo sauce to the pan and whisk well.
  • 6
    Add some milk or half and half to the empty jars and shake them up to get all the sauce out. Put it in the pot.
  • 7
    Add mayo and more half and half to get the consistency you like. Put chicken and onions back into sauce.
  • 8
    In a seperate pot saute seasoned cut up broccoli in butter til almost done. Add broccoli to the rest of the mixture. Heat until bubbly in pot.
  • 9
    Spray a glass casserole dish with cooking spray and add some sauce to bottom of the dish.
  • 10
    Layer the pan with chicken / sauce mixture and penne. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
  • 11
    Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until hot all the way through and bubbly on top.
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