This slow cooker cheesy chicken and broccoli is a simple, cozy dinner made with just six ingredients. Soft chicken cooks in a creamy cheese sauce, then mixes with tender broccoli for a warm, filling meal. It’s an easy dish that cooks mostly on its own, perfect for busy days or family suppers.
Out here in the country, there are days when the slow cooker feels like an old, trusted friend. This 6-Ingredient Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli reminds me of the casseroles that showed up at every church potluck and harvest supper when I was a little girl, but this one almost cooks all by itself while you go about your day. It has all the cozy feelings of old-time Midwestern cooking — soft chicken, warm cheese sauce, and lots of broccoli — without needing a lot of work or fancy ingredients.
It’s the kind of meal you start in the morning before running errands or working in the garden, and by dinner time, your house smells like you’ve been cooking all day long. People make this when they want something filling and familiar on the table, the kind of meal that brings everyone inside from the cold and makes them want to stay a little longer after their plates are empty.
This cheesy chicken and broccoli tastes great spooned over soft white rice, buttery egg noodles, or even mashed potatoes if you really want that warm, filling comfort food feeling. A simple green salad or a bowl of sliced fresh tomatoes with a little salt helps balance out the rich taste.
Around here, we almost never serve a cheesy dish without some kind of bread — warm dinner rolls, buttermilk biscuits, or even a slice of toasted farmhouse bread to soak up the sauce. If you want, you can also add a side of applesauce or cottage cheese, just like the old supper plates from church basement days.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 to 5 medium pieces)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
- Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper evenly over both sides of each piece of chicken.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts into the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Try to lay them out in one flat, even layer so they cook evenly.
- Spoon the cream of chicken soup right on top of the chicken. Use the back of the spoon to spread it gently so it covers most of the chicken. Then sprinkle 1½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Save the last ½ cup of cheese for later.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2½ to 3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and feels soft and tender.
- About 30 to 45 minutes before you plan to serve dinner, stir the broccoli florets into the slow cooker, pushing them down into the sauce around the chicken. If you’re using frozen broccoli, you don’t need to thaw it first — just break apart any big frozen clumps with a spoon. Put the lid back on and cook on HIGH for about 30 minutes, until the broccoli is soft but still looks bright green.
- Once the broccoli is tender, take two forks and gently pull the chicken apart right inside the slow cooker. Mix the shredded chicken into the cheesy sauce and broccoli so everything is well combined. Taste it, and add a little more salt or pepper if you think it needs it.
- Sprinkle the last ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Put the lid back on for 5 to 10 minutes, just until the cheese melts completely. Serve the dish hot, spooned over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.