Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

What's the difference between grated and shredded cheese?
Could somebody inform me please?

The mixture was really dry initially so I added more milk, which didn’t get absorbed right. I added panko for some crunch and to help solidify the casserole - sadly, the crispy panko crumbs were the highlight of the dish.

Other than that, the broccoli (cooked for shorter than directions suggested) ended up mushy. Recipe was under spiced so I ended up adding garlic, onion powder and a LOT more salt and pepper.

End result: a kind of soupy, meh-flavored mess. I ate it only because I was hungry but the rest is going into my compost bin.

I used regular (Duke’s) mayo instead of the Canola but otherwise stuck to the recipe. My new hubby said it was the BEST thing I’ve ever cooked 😳. Blew me away. Definitely a keeper!

This is a great base recipe to take to whatever place you want to take it. This is my journey. 

1. Garlic. Don't be shy. It's tasty. Garlic is your friend.

2. Brined chicken breasts (1/4c salt, 1quart water, garlic cloves for days), cut it up and tossed it in to cook with the mushrooms, onion and garlic. 

But, you're probably wondering, "won't that over cook your chicken?" yeah, it's a risk. But, no risk no reward - you know? 

3. Veggie bouillon - use the good stuff, but if you only have the powder, such is life. Make that liquor that popped off the veggies and chicken taste like the broth of the Gods. 

4. Celery seed? Sure, why not. A pinch of curry powder? Make it like a Divan, why not? 

5. Got some brown bits on the bottom of the pot? White wine it if you have it. Scrape the bits off and make a tasty treat. 

6. Finish it up. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if you're into it. 

That's it. I mean, did I stick to the recipe? No. But with the reviews that everyone gave it, calling it bland, why would I? So I fluffed it up and turned it into a tasty treat. Without doing anything that added more calories. Okay, I may have secretly thrown in a pat of butter at some point - but it melted, I mean, per serving it probably was equal to 1/6 of a pat of butter. 

That's it. Now I'm going to get back to my work and stop procrastinating...

I gave this 2 stars as written. It looked and sounded good but knowing it was from Cooking Light I knew it would need a make over if it was going to be served in our house. We both agreed it was 5 stars when done.

I used bacon fat instead of canola oil, used just 1 8oz pkg of sliced mushrooms, a good pound of fresh broccoli florets which I steamed myself. Since I don't use any kind of fat free or low fat dairy I substituted 11/2 cups of half and half for the fat free milk, 1/2 cup of sour cream in place of the fat free yogurt, added 1/4 cup of white wine, 3 lg cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper, 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar instead of 1/2 cup (that is just too skimpy) and increased the amount of chicken to a little over 1 lb. I would definitely serve this to guests as I made it.

First time cooking this, and it turned out well! I saw a few of the reviews on here about the recipe being bland, so I added two dashes of paprika and 5-6 dashes of curry to the mixture, then topped with seasoned bread crumbs for more flavor. The breadcrumbs probably added roughly 40 calories. The only negative I have to add is that I could definitely taste the greek yogurt, so next time, I'll probably just add less.

My family and I made this and it was amazing! We used a spring mix of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, squash and carrots) instead of just broccoli. Nothing else different and it was perfect!!

I thought this was a good, solid recipe to make on a work night.  I made the following changes:

1) I added 3 minced cloves of garlic and sautéed with the onions and mushrooms for 1 minute as the mushrooms were browning.

2) I added only 1 container of mushrooms as they are not a favorite in my house.

3) I added 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to the mix before adding the chicken and broccoli.

4) I used the entire amount of chicken from a whole rotisserie chicken.

I thought it was plenty flavorful but next time would add a little more broccoli.  We did get 6 servings from this recipe.  A few family members served it over rice, but I ate it without the rice and it was filling.  

I used potato starch as Gluten Free thickener, was great. Did need more salt/spice. Husband LOVED it. especially for the calorie count. 

This was good but need more pepper 

Loved this recipe! Followed it exactly and it came out great. My husband, who usually hates this type of meal, and crinkled his nose upon seeing it, really enjoyed it after tasting it. The sauce is rich and doesn't taste healthy at all (but of course it is). 

My husband and I enjoyed this. I followed the recipe exactly, but in the future, I would add a bit more salt and pepper as it was a bit bland. I added a bit on after serving and it helped. The texture was nice and creamy and the amount of cheese on top was perfect. I did not get 6 servings out of this. More like 4 of 1.5 cups each with measuring very carefully.

Tasted OK but not great. Also, it just turned into a pile of mush. Could really use some noddles to help with texture

This is a good recipe that skips the carbs usually associated with a casserole, although you could easily add them back in. I changed it up a bit and it worked GREAT! I left out the mayo and instead used just fat free Greek yogurt and fat free cream cheese to thicken the sauce, with a little German mustard and fresh rosemary (chopped very fine) and it really perked up the flavors. I also combined everything and baked it in a casserole dish at 350 for about 30 minutes. Everyone liked this one, especially considering the large quantity you get for the calories. My daughter swore there was some "yummy cream of something soup" in it, but was delighted to find my swaps dropped the already low calorie count and it was rich and delicious. They all asked me to save this recipe and make it again. Next time, I'll add brown rice to it and bake it in the over longer. I think that would be great.

After reading other reviews, I made a couple of changes and WE LOVED IT! I used 1/2 skim milk and 1/2 low sodium chicken broth and added 2 tablespoons of Sherry. I bought a Mojo Rotisserie Chicken from Publix and used baby portabello mushrooms. It absolutely was NOT bland.

A hit with the family! I steamed my own broccoli and added some minced garlic to the mushroom/onion mixture. We served ours with steamed brown rice. Very much a comfort-food type meal. Though a bit time consuming for a work night dinner, it was worth the effort.

We made this for our interactive cooking night with friends. We really enjoyed it, but I think the only thing it needed was some more salt, and maybe garlic. This is a great base recipe to which you could add your own flavors, but I would be careful about adding too many extra things except for flavoring and spices so you could keep the calorie count down.

This makes a great family dinner. I steamed fresh broccoli instead of frozen and used rotisserie chicken. A little labor intensive for the typical weeknight but easy to make ahead and freeze. We served this over rice with some sriracha sauce for a bit of kick.

This has good consistency, easy to make and healthy ingredients, but it's missing something (flavor!). It needs something, not sure what yet, but maybe curry or mustard or thyme? Might try again...

Followed recipe, except steamed fresh broccoli and added two cloves of garlic and 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper. For a light recipe, this one is really tasty. My husband liked this one and asked for me to make again.

I gave it a 4 star because it's a good dish with some changes. As others suggested I sauteed fresh onions and mushrooms in olive oil with fresh minced garlic then added 1/4 cup white wine, continue to cook then added fresh lemon juice. Still added some flour to veggies then added homemade chicken broth instead of milk and then added additional broccoli.Stayed with the regular yogurt and natural mayo. Next I added shredded parmesan and swiss instead of cheddar (fontina cheese good choice too.) Finally, I served it over jasmine rice and generously splashed with green Tabasco sauce to give it more flavor as my son would always suggest. He had to 2 servings! Maybe will add olives next time.

I gave this 3 stars because I would not serve to company but this is a VERY good weeknight meal. I added all the cheese into the dish so really should have used less flour as it turned out too thick but it was nice and creamy. I used a whole rotisserie chicken which was 3 cups chopped but weighed 1.2 pounds so that would adjust the nutrition. I also added a small can of sliced black olives, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Flavor was great!!! Could use more broccoli (16 ounces) and smaller pieces. I only "thawed" the broccoli for about 1 1/2 minutes in the MW and it didn't get mushy when added to the pan. The dish did need to be heated a little more before serving. Six 10.5+/- ounce servings.

Made this for a weeknight dinner - it was quick enough to put together, but I don't see myself making this again in the future. The amount of dairy this requires is almost nauseating - I would definitely replace the mayo and yogurt with chicken broth or tomato juice in the future to give this some life. It was really bogged down and bland with all the cream - yuck. The essential ingredients (onion, mushrooms, chicken, broccoli) are great, but the rest of it seriously needs some tweaking. Agreed that a starch would also help interrupt the amount of sauce.

I made this for my daughter when she came over for supper, only to find out she had made this dish a few weeks ago. But, she was thrilled that I had made it again, because she and her fiancee had loved it. Full disclosure: I used 2% milk and 2% Greek yogurt, so my version wasn't the lowfat ideal it was supposed to be. Having said that, the fresh (not frozen) broccoli, fresh mushrooms and no cream of chicken soup certainly made it a much better dish than my own mom's chicken broccoli casserole. Her casserole included a bit of curry powder, which I might add to this recipe next time.

The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars, is because I wouldn't serve it at a fancy dinner party. But beyond that, we loved it. I cook nearly every night, and unfortunately my picky eater kids turn their noses up at most of what I make. But not this! Ok, they picked out the mushrooms, but when I told them it was kind of like broccoli-cheddar soup (which they like), they tried it. And they liked it! I subbed rotisserie turkey for the chicken, because it's the only meat I will occasionally eat, and it worked well. Delish!

This looked appealing as a comfort-food dish and because I had some fresh broccoli and mushrooms to use. I didn't have cheddar on-hand so I used bleu crumbles and Neufchatel. Bleu packs more of a flavor punch than cheddar so I tried using just 1/4c. at first, but then increased it to a full 1/2 cup after realizing how bland it tasted. I imagine if I'd used cheddar I would have had to use more than 1/2 cup. I also started with raw chicken breast, so this might have required more added flavor. The tanginess of the yogurt did punch it up a bit but the dish overall was unremarkable; and as my husband detests the famous Chicken-Broccoli Divan he wasn't too impressed. We'll finish the leftovers but I probably won't bother with this again.

This was bland and boring - would not make again. Don't know why it received high stars.

This was a good base recipe. It had good creaminess and had the illusion of being higher cal/fat comfort food. I made a few tweaks which is why I only gave it 3 stars. I left out the mushrooms as my husband doesn't like them. I cooked chicken breast pieces with the onion as I didn't have cooked chicken on hand. I added the flour right to the chicken and onion mixture and also added 1 TBS smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp granulated garlic. I used a 5.3 oz container of yogurt and light sour cream to make a 3/4 C mixture. I only used 1 TBS of mayo as other reviewers suggested. I also used a good deal more salt. I thought my creation was very good and I also think it would be good with rice/noodles/potatoes to mix with the sauce. This is a recipe that is easy to adjust to one's taste.

Very yummy comfort food. I thought it had a lot of flavor - did not change a thing except I served it over rice as others mentioned.

I agree with others who said this was too bland. I was looking forward to a low cal version of chicken divan. Was I disappointed! Will not repeat this again.

I thought this recipe was fantastic. Easy for a weeknight on dish meal, I used 1% milk, light mayo, frozen broccoli that I microwaved first, only 8 oz of mushrooms and about 8 oz of baby carrots that I microwaved with the broccoli, added a few cloves of garlic, some curry powder and italian seasoning, then topped it with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Served over rice with some crusty french bread. The bf and I gobbled it up and I have leftovers for work!

I would give this zero stars if possible. How could the editors rate this a favorite? I added garlic, fresh thyme, splash of sherry, double the salt, and it was still blah, boring, mediocre. I cook almost exclusively CL, but this one goes in the garbage. Yuk.

This was a solid weekday recipe. I followed the recipe but used shredded chicken breast that I had roasted instead of buying a rotisserie chicken. Served it over rice as suggested by others. The next time I make it I think I will try adding a little chopped water chestnuts. I think the dish could use a little crunch.

I don't understand how some rate this 4 star and then say it's a bit bland. It is bland; mediocre, average, definitely needs something else. I like the ideas of dry sherry, cayenne, garlic - maybe cut down on the milk and substitute some wine and chicken broth. I tried it because it was easy and will not make it again. I have another recipe that is better.

This turned out very well. I used 1% milk, because that's what I had, and reduced the mayonnaise to 2 tbsp, and it was still very creamy. I used fresh steam-in-bag broccoli, and it definitely fell apart once stirred in, but it was still tasty. I also added thyme and garlic powder - still a bit bland, so next time I'd add more spices and perhaps fresh garlic. Instead of rotisserie chicken, I put chicken breasts in the crock pot with low sodium chicken broth and cooked until they easily shredded. Came out great!

This was very easy to put together but didn't have any flavor. Needed a little something more. Recipe only calls for salt and pepper. That's not enough. Sauce was creamy and not heavy.

I tweaked this a bit by using chicken thighs (I detest chicken breast) and upping the cheeses just a bit. I also just stirred the cheese in and skipped the broiling and was very pleased with the results.

This was very good. Followed recipe exactly - except used IQF chicken breast which I cut into small pieces and sauteed in pan with some seasoning (Ruth Ann's seasoning from Penzey's). Used same pan for the mushroom and onion. I also had fresh brocolli on hand, so I cooked that briefly in microwave. The only change I would make next time is possibly add a few good croutons on top.. would add some calories - but it would be worth it!

We thought this was delicious comfort food. I used about 75% rotisserie chicken and 25% canned chicken to make up the difference. My main problem with this dish is that it's not superfast. I used pre-chopped onion and pre-chopped mushrooms. But I still had to cook the broccoli, cut up the rotisserie chicken, and measure out a fairly lengthy list of ingredients. It took me a good 45 minutes to make this recipe. (I'll admit that I doubled the recipe which somehow always adds prep time.) I actually don't think the end result is worth the effort for a family with little time to prepare dinner so I am not likely to make this dish again. But we'll enjoy the leftovers this week!

Quick, easy and tasty. I did make a few adjustments. I added a little dark meat from the rotisserie chicken. Seasoned the mushrooms with salt and pepper while cooking. I also used unsweetened almond milk. Finally almost a full 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt and just a tablespoon of mayo.

My family really enjoyed this. Next time I will definitely serve with rice.

I made this according to the instructions, but I used chicken breasts that I cooked myself, so this may account for my lackluster review. In any event, it's pretty good - it's hearty and healthy, and tastes fine. It's just a little bland for my taste, and I found that I needed to add a good bit of salt. It seems that just 1/4 tsp of salt wouldn't be quite enough for a dish of this size. We'll enjoy our leftovers, but I probably wouldn't make this again.

It thought it ended up fairly bland. I didn't use rotisserie chicken - just sauteed chicken, so that might have been part of the problem. I like that the base is veggies, not pasta, potato, or rice. I added carrots which make the color more appealing. If I make it again I think I'd add poultry seasoning.

Made this recipe last night. I used a steam-in-bag of FRESH broccoli, steamed it for 3 minutes and it still fell apart in the casserole. We were very pleased with the creaminess of this dish, especially given the low calorie count. The changes I made - added a little more salt, included the parmesan in the sauce instead of sprinkling on top, and added a tablespoon of dry sherry to the sauce. It was good, but maybe a tad lacking in flavor. I will definitely make this again, with a few flavor adjustments to the sauce.

Great quick recipe! I made it as written with two exceptions...I used leftover turkey from the freezer and 2% milk because that's what we had on hand. I used a steam fresh bag of broccoli and it wasn't mushy at all. You could definitely kick it up, but it's nice fast comfort food as is.

This was very easy to make and delicious. My family really enjoyed it. I served it with brown rice and mixed vegetables, but it could easily stand on its own.

I used fresh broccoli and cooked a chicken breast rather than using pre-cooked chicken. I also used 1% milk because that's what I had on hand. This dish was very good! I would definitely make it again and think it's going to make excellent leftovers. The only reason I didn't give this a 5 is because I think a little more flavor could be added. I might add hot sauce or garlic salt next time.

This was a great recipe for the whole family! It was very easy to make with all the precooked and premade additions, though it left me wanting some fresher ingredients. I think steaming fresh broccoli wouldn't take much more time and would be a tastier option. I made the recipe exactly as written, but I like the suggestions from others about adding garlic and other veggies. I think the recipe is flexible enough to allow for your preferences. Overall, it was deliciously creamy without being heavy tasting. I will definitely be making this again!

This was quick and easy but tasted mediocre, like something you'd get out of an average diner. Broccoli was microwaved in bag 3 minutes and was total mush and broke up as I was mixing it altogether. I would oven roast them next time for better texture and flavor. Overall texture was too mushy. Maybe add some breadcrumbs on top when broiling. Overall flavor was very bland. It needs some spicing up too. Maybe adding garlic and sherry wine when mushrooms and onions are almost done cooking. Maybe some spices like hot or smoked paprika, smoked chipotle powder, a pinch of cayenne, or a jarred spice blend (Moroccan, Indian, Adobo, or a basic Montreal Chicken blend). I would add in additional veggies like carrots, which would help the texture issue. Next time I would definitely let it sit a little while before serving to help it set (it's been sitting for 15 mins while writing this and it's already got a better, firmer texture).

This recipe is fantastic -- quick and easy. My family was sopping the gravy up with bread they loved it so much.

Very good! The yogurt makes it so creamy you would never guess it's low fat. I also added some fresh garlic and some diced carrots, but those were the only changes.

This recipe is going into our family favorites. My husband and two sons loved it. It tastes like a casserole that took all afternoon to make but it is so quick. I served it with steam-in-the-bag brown rice. The only change I made was to add a few cloves of minced garlic close to the end of sautéing the mushrooms and onions. It would be a good recipe to hide additional veggies.

This recipe was delicious! My boyfriend and I were practically licking our bowls clean. It was rich and creamy and you could not even tell it was low fat. I did add a little more cheese than it called for and I served it over long grain rice that I cooked in chicken broth. Will definitely make this again!