Fitness / April 29, 2023

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Succulent chicken is embedded in a casserole of cheese and broccoli, then covered in crunchy panko crumbs. Poppy seed chicken casserole is an easy, healthy meal your whole family will love.

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This is one of a few recipes that my mom used to make when I grew up. Did I know what a casserole was? No. Did I think it was something gross? Yes. Was I wrong? Definitely. Are you sick of these self-posed questions? Who’s to say.

This poppy seed chicken casserole still lives on in my memory, and now… it lives here on my blog. Even as I type this, I can smell it. The chicken, the cheese. And the broccoli. Most versions don’t include those little green trees but my mom always included it in hers (probably the only way she could get me to eat them) so I’ve included them here.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

I was only half-joking when I said this was the only way I would eat broccoli. This was DEFINITELY the only way I would eat broccoli. For those of you with kids (and stubborn partners), you will embrace this recipe as a sneaky injection of nutrition.

It keeps really well. You can make a huge dish of it and not worry about wasting any of it.

It has a wide range of textures, from the creaminess of the cheese to the crunch of the panko crumbs.

Wondering what to do with that skinless, boneless chicken breast? Give this a go. It’s a new and exciting method of preparing chicken that doesn’t involve complicated instructions or a crazy list of ingredients.

Is This Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Healthy?

This casserole contains chicken and broccoli. In them you’ll get lean protein, vitamins, and minerals. It also contains butter, cheese, and sour cream, all of which contain a considerable amount of fat but there are worse things to consume than these ingredients (and butter is better for you than, say, margarine). The deciding factors are quantity and frequency. Keep your serving sizes in check and, if you do make a lot of this and plan on freezing it, don’t reach for it every night out of laziness. Perhaps complement the casserole with a nice salad or baked bread.

INGREDIENTS

Nothing complicated here, save for the panko crumbs, which can be found in either the breads section or the world foods area (the Japanese section, to be specific).

The Casserole:

1 cup broccoli florets
1 large chicken breast
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup flour
½ cup milk
½ cup chicken stock
1 cup cheddar cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tbsp poppy seed

the topping:

4 tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter

INSTRUCTIONS

The Sauce

Melt your butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Whisk on LOW until a thick paste forms. Add milk and chicken stock and whisk until completely smooth. Add the cheese and remove from the heat. Add the sour cream, mustard, and poppy seeds. Set aside.

Boil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and let dry completely. Cook the chicken breast in the same water for about 15 minutes. Let cool then cut into cubes.

Combine

Combine the broccoli and chicken cubes in a casserole. Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli-chicken mixture and spread evenly to coat.

Toast

In a saucepan over MEDIUM-HIGH heat add the butter and the bread crumbs. Toast until light brown, then sprinkle over the mixture.

Bake

Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Variations

There are a number of ways you can change up this recipe, either through adding and/or replacing. Here are my suggestions:

The Meat: Don’t care for chicken? Try turkey or pork.

The Veggies: Don’t care for broccoli? Try carrots, peas, and/or cauliflower.

The Sauce: If you’re looking for a creamier dish, replace the milk with heavy cream. Or use honey mustard instead of its Dijon brethren. This will replace some of the heat with sweetness.

The Toppings: If panko crumbs aren’t your thing, get creative. This is an excellent opportunity to clear out your pantry. Crushed Ritz crackers, crushed potato chips, even crushed Corn Flakes (pretty much anything crushed, really), will make a lovely crunchy topping. Or go nuts with sliced almonds or chopped pecans.

FAQs

What are panko bread crumbs?

Panko bread crumbs differ from normal bread crumbs as they are drier and flakier and absorb less oil. They can usually be found in the Japanese section of your market. I use panko regularly, featuring them in this recipe for Air-Fried Onion Rings and Easy Homemade Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers.

The Chicken taste bland. What did I do wrong?

Make sure that your cooking water has enough salt to season the chicken. If you prefer a more rotisserie-like chicken, pan-fry or bake your chicken in the oven.

Can I use other seasonings for this recipe?

Of course you can. Feel free to incorporate your favorite seasoning mix or just make your own! Chop some fresh rosemary and combine it with salt, pepper, and freshly chopped garlic. It goes very well with chicken.

How to Store Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Let the casserole cool completely. Cover it with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. It should keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze the casserole. Put it in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap and then aluminum wrap. It should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge overnight first. Warm in the oven or microwave until heated through.