Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rectangular baking dish or sheet pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving some overhang so you can fold the edges up slightly to form a shallow tray. Lightly grease the foil with olive oil or nonstick spray.
Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Slice each breast crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, keeping the slices from each breast together so you can reassemble them in neat rows. Season both sides of the slices lightly with salt and pepper if using.
Arrange the chicken: Place the sliced chicken in rows in the center of the foil-lined pan, slightly fanning the pieces so they resemble the look of whole breasts sliced but still nestled together. Leave some space between and around the rows for the broccoli and cheese mixture.
Add the broccoli: Scatter the broccoli florets around and between the chicken rows, tucking some pieces gently into the gaps so the florets are nestled in close contact with the chicken. This arrangement helps the broccoli cook evenly and soak up the cheesy sauce.
Mix the cheese and sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheese and the creamy sauce. Stir until you have a thick, spoonable mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired, remembering that cheese and some sauces are already salty.
Top the chicken and broccoli: Spoon the cheesy mixture evenly over the chicken slices and broccoli, focusing on coating the tops and allowing some to fall between the pieces. You want a visible layer of cheese on top that will melt and brown, while some of the sauce seeps down to create that creamy, casserole-like texture.
Shape the foil tray: Fold up the edges of the foil slightly to contain any bubbling sauce, but leave the top fully open so the cheese can brown. The foil should form a shallow tray that supports the ingredients and makes cleanup easy.
Bake: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 22–28 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165°F/74°C in the thickest pieces) and the broccoli is tender. The cheese should be fully melted and starting to bubble.
Brown the top: For a slightly crisper, more golden top like a classic casserole, switch the oven to broil for 2–4 minutes at the end of cooking. Watch closely so the cheese develops small browned spots without burning.
Rest and serve: Remove the bake from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Carefully lift or slide the foil tray onto a wooden board or heatproof surface. Serve the sliced chicken and broccoli with plenty of the cheesy sauce spooned over each portion.
Variations & Tips
Continued on next page:
'Potluck staple': Only 4 ingredients. I’ve brought it so many times it’s basically my signature.
