This savory and hearty dish is going to be a staple in your rotation of dinner recipes. It starts with seasoned and pan-seared chicken breasts and ends with a cheese sauce and more cheese on top! All the flavorful parts of the recipe are added and baked in one dish, ready to dish up to satisfy even the hungriest of eaters.
CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best in this recipe. I used large chicken breasts, so the baking time may have to be adjusted if you are using smaller pieces of chicken. The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Cheese Sauce: The cheese sauce is made with sauteed onions, and there is a lot of it! So, be sure to add some to your chicken breast and use some to dunk some french fries.
PREPARING THE CHICKEN
This chicken ended up being so tender and juicy. To get it prepared, first, season the chicken breasts with the paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder mix. Rub the mixture into both sides of each chicken breast. Next, dredge each chicken breast in some flour, coating all sides. Set the chicken aside.
To pan-sear the chicken, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook each chicken breast for about 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and crispy. The chicken will probably not be cooked all the way through at this point. However, they will be baked to finish cooking them. Place the seared chicken into a 9×13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
HOW TO MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE
Do not clean out the skillet just yet (except for any burnt bits). To the same skillet you seared the chicken, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and diced onion. Saute the onion for 5-8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Then, add the cream of chicken, heavy cream, and a cup of shredded cheese. Whisk the ingredients together to form a sauce.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Once the chicken has been prepared and the sauce mixed together, it’s time to get this hotdish baked and on the table! Pour the cheese sauce over the tops of the chicken breasts that are in the baking dish. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes. (Again, baking times can vary depending on the size of chicken you use.)
After 40 minutes, sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded cheese over the top of the chicken. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Chicken is fully cooked when each chicken breast has an internal temperature of 165°F.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
Cheese Sauce
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Chicken
In a small bowl combine paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sprinkle seasoning mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts. Rub the mixture into each to ensure the chicken is evenly coated.
Dredge the seasoned chicken in the flour, making sure to cover all sides, and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter.
Working in batches, add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side (or until browned and crispy). They might not be cooked through at this point.
Add chicken to the prepared baking dish.
Cheese Sauce
To the same skillet (remove any burnt bits) add diced onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Saute for 5-8 minutes, or until translucent.
Add the cream of chicken, heavy cream, and 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Whisk to combine into a sauce.
Assembly
Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Bake for 40 minutes. (Cooking time could vary, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.)
Add remaining shredded cheese and cook 20 more minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly and chicken is cooked through. Chicken is done when its internal temperature is 165°F.
