I like to grill chicken on my Foreman grill
- Carbohydrate 72.4255451390059 g
- Cholesterol 398.7166875 mg
- Fat 37.4022177083333 g
- Fiber 5.87727775594969 g
- Protein 163.253429513894 g
- Saturated Fat 10.0126345833333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (957g)
- Sodium 2904.57477777779 mg
- Sugar 66.5482673830562 g
- Trans Fat 5.003900625 g
- Calories 1311 calories
Step-by-step
- Arrange broccoli in bottom of 13 x 9 inch pan.
- If desired, sprinkle with garlic powder and/or pepper.
- Place chicken on top.
- In bowl, combine mayonaise, lemon juice, curry powder, and chicken soup.
- Pour over chicken and broccoli.
- sprinkle cheese on top.
- Combine melted butter and bread crumbs then sprinkle over cheese.
- Bake in 350? oven for 30 minutes.
Cream of chicken soup acts as the structural foundation for this casserole, binding the dairy, fats, and seasonings into a cohesive sauce that coats every component. When scaling this recipe upward for a larger gathering, maintain the ratio of soup to mayonnaise precisely to prevent the sauce from breaking or separating during the 350-degree bake. Doubling the quantities simply requires shifting from a standard 13x9-inch pan to a larger roasting vessel while keeping the depth uniform to ensure heat penetrates the center evenly within the 30-minute window. Thicker layers will trap moisture and extend cooking times, requiring visual confirmation that the edges bubble vigorously.
Frozen broccoli demands specific handling before assembly to avoid pooling water in the bottom of the dish. Thaw the 20 ounces completely and press them firmly in a clean kitchen towel to expel excess cellular moisture before layering them in the pan. Omitting this extraction step introduces unwanted liquid that dilutes the soup mixture and results in a watery sauce rather than a clinging glaze. Fresh florets can substitute directly by weight, though they require a brief three-minute blanch in boiling salted water to soften them to the exact tenderness frozen vegetables achieve straight from the bag.
Combining melted butter with soft bread crumbs creates a thermal barrier that protects the cheddar cheese underneath from burning while providing a contrasting crunch. Toss the crumbs thoroughly in the fat so every particle is coated evenly; dry spots will scorch long before the interior reaches serving temperature. Grating the cheddar cheese manually rather than using pre-bagged varieties ensures superior melting performance because anti-caking additives are absent from blocks.
Prepared casseroles assemble successfully up to twenty-four hours in advance when stored tightly covered in the refrigerator before baking. Freezing unbaked portions works well for storage up to two months, though the dish must thaw entirely in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours before entering the oven to guarantee even thermal transfer through the dense center. Reheating individual portions in the microwave is efficient, but crisping the bread crumb topping requires a brief return to a 350-degree oven for ten minutes.
