Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken

This Cracker Barrel broccoli cheddar chicken is a fan-favorite dinner casserole with its rich, delicious cheesy sauce and crunchy cracker topping. Your family will love this easy copycat recipe for a homemade version that's better than the original. This tasty entree is an easy way to make a flavorful dinner.

See all of my Cracker Barrel copycat recipes, or more easy chicken casseroles.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

Cracker Barrel has always been one of my go-to spots when I crave comfort food, but once we moved to Minnesota, we didn't have one locally. Because of that, I've enjoyed recreating all of their popular signature recipes at home.

Cracker Barrel's cheesy chicken and broccoli was one of the first must-make copycat recipes on my to-do list. It has tender chicken breasts topped with broccoli, cheddar cheese sauce, and a crisp, buttery Ritz cracker topping.

🥘 Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I prefer smaller breasts, but larger ones will work as long as you adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Seasoning - Salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder, and paprika.
• Milk - I recommend using whole milk for the creamiest texture. If adding sour cream, you will need to reduce the amount of milk (*see note).  
• Cheddar Cheese Soup - One can of condensed cheddar cheese soup for the sauce.
• Cheddar Cheese -  Freshly shredded cheddar melts the best. I say the sharper, the better for this recipe.
• Sour Cream (optional) - I like to add sour cream and reduce the amount of milk for an extra rich and creamy cheese sauce.
• Broccoli - Frozen and thawed broccoli, roughly chopped. You can quickly thaw it in a colander under running water.
• Ritz Crackers - I'm all for using off-brand items, but no crackers compare to the buttery crunch of Ritz. Crush them up in a zip-top storage bag for easy cleanup.
• Butter (optional) - Adding melted butter to the crushed Ritz cracker topping makes it bake up golden and crispy, but it's delicious either way.

🔪 How To Make Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken

You don't even need to slice your chicken breasts, so there is hardly any prep to this casserole. To get started, grab your measuring utensils, a mixing bowl, a silicone spatula, and a 9x13 baking dish.

This recipe makes 4 servings of Cracker Barrel chicken and broccoli.

Prep

Step 1: Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃/Gas Mark 4) and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Step 2: Season the chicken. Season 2 pounds (907.18 grams) of chicken breasts with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, then place them in the baking dish.

Make Cheese Sauce

Step 3: Whisk the sauce ingredients. Whisk together 1 cup (236.59 milliliters) of milk, 10.5 ounces (297.67 grams) of cheddar cheese soup, 6 ounces (170.1 grams) of cheddar cheese, ½ teaspoon of paprika, and the optional ½ cup (115 grams) of sour cream in a mixing bowl until combined.

Assemble and Bake

Step 4: Add half the sauce and broccoli. Pour half of the creamy cheese mixture over the chicken breasts, then sprinkle 8 ounces (226.8 grams) of chopped broccoli evenly over the top.

Step 5: Layer. Cover the broccoli with most of the 1 ½ cups (90 grams) of Ritz crackers (with the optional 4 tablespoons (56 grams) of melted butter if desired), reserving some for the topping. Add the remaining cheese sauce, then sprinkle on the remaining crackers.

Step 6: Bake. Bake at 350℉ (175℃/Gas Mark 4) for 45-50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling hot and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (80°C) as read by a meat thermometer.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• Sour cream makes it extra creamy. I like incorporating sour cream for an extra creamy cheese sauce, but it's still tasty without it. If you do use the sour cream, be sure to reduce the amount of milk to ⅔ cup so there's not too much liquid.
• The melted butter is optional. You can skip the melted butter and still enjoy this casserole. However, it does help the Ritz crackers bake up nice and crispy and adds flavor.
• Swap the crackers. If you love buttery club crackers like I do, you'll find that they're just as tasty. Chicken in a Biscuit crackers are really tasty too. But I also like swapping the crackers for chips like Ruffles Sour Cream & Cheddar.
• Larger breasts will need more time. The timing for this recipe is more accurate for smaller chicken breasts. If using larger breasts, I typically butterfly slice them into cutlets or strips like tenderloins. Otherwise, you should increase the cooking time by 10-15 minutes and check them with a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.
• Cover if browning too much. If using larger chicken breasts and increasing the cooking time, you may need to cover your casserole with foil if the topping starts getting too brown.
• Try adding veggies. Canned corn or a cup of frozen, thawed veggies (peas, carrots, etc.) will make a nice addition if you want to incorporate more vegetables.
• Breasts or thighs. This recipe also works well with chicken thighs.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Let the casserole cool and either cover it or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing

This casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight dish or wrapped with cling film and then a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating

Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave. Reheat larger portions in the oven, covered with aluminum foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350℉ (175℃/Gas Mark 4) or until heated to your satisfaction.

📖 Recipe Card