This cheesy chicken recipe has been a family favorite of ours for years. Topped with cashews for a little crunch!
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Note: This Wilkes family favorited deserved a face lift. It was originally posted on Nov.17, 2009
Today’s recipe is one I got years ago from Julie, a friend from church.
She and I were taking dinner into another friend who had just had a baby.
Julie fixed Cheesy Chicken because it was our friends favorite dish.
I made the salad and dessert. I was also in charge of delivering the dinner.
Now for one of my finer moments….
I pulled into the new mom’s driveway, parked and got out of the car to get the food from the other side of the car where I had put it. I opened the car door. During the trip over the food had shifted and the casserole dish full of wonderful, hot, bubbly and cheesy chicken came crashing out of the car onto the cement driveway!
I couldn’t believe it! I had to go to the door and tell this family that their dinner was now dripping down their driveway! I was so embarrassed!!
They were of course very understanding, and the husband got out the hose and washed their dinner down the drain!!
I went off to the grocery store to pick up some fried chicken!
Despite that horrible experience, Cheesy Chicken has become one of our family favorites and is a dish I often take when I am asked to take dinner to someone. I ALWAYS check before I open the car door now though!!!
Do you have a favorite dish you always take when you are asked to take dinner into someone? I’d love for you to leave the recipe in the comment section so we can all see! I need a few new ideas!
Our favorite side dish to serve Cheesy Chicken with is rice pilaf. I love to use this pan to cook my Cheesy Chicken in.
So here’s our favorite – Cheesy Chicken!
- 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/3 can beef broth
- 1/3 C Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp parsley flakes
- 1/3 cube/stick of butter melted
- 2 oz. whole cashews
- 1 lb. grated Monterey Jack cheese
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Mix sauce ingredients together
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Melt butter in 9 x 13 dish. I used my heavy roasting pan
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Lay chicken over butter
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Cover with 3/4 of sauce
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Bake 1 hour at 325.
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Add rest of sauce and cashews
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Top with cheese
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Turn oven off
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Leave in oven for 5 more minutes
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This looks really yummy! I can’t wait to try it. Question for you.. is the Parmesan Cheese part of the Sauce, or the cheese you top it with after it cooks?
Thanks!
Meg,
The Parmesan cheese is mixed into the sauce and the Monterey Jack is sprinkled on top at the end. Enjoy!
To use one of my kids’ quotes: “Boy, that sure sucks!” Plan B (fried chicken) was probably still appreciated but yes, that would have bugged me, too! What a waste, huh? Grrrrrr.
Can you use low fat cheese in this recipe, by the way?
Cat
Cat, I think low fat cheese would work fine! Enjoy!
I love the story. I have one similar to that only involving a crock pot! However, I always like to take my chicken parm with pasta. Always a hit.
Here’s my favorite take-to recipe. I usually make one for them and one for our family. Using pre-made pie-crust and frozen diced hashbrowns for the potatoes is a big time saver! You can used canned diced chicken if you don’t want to spend the time cooking the chicken, but I think you bget better flavor with chicken breasts cooked in the oven or on the grill…
CHICKEN POT PIE FROM “SCRATCH”
1 pkg refrigerated pie crust – top and bottom – let thaw out well
1/3 c. butter (I didn’t say it was low cal.)
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. chopped onioin
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 and 1/2 c. chicken broth
2/3 c. milk
2-3 cups cooked chicken (I just bake the boneless skinless frozen ones and then let cool)
1 c. frozen mixed veggies (usually I stick to peas and carrots)
1-2 cups diced potatoes
(I use frozen diced hashbrowns -easy! Just warm them a little in the microwave first)
Cook chicken and let cool. Then heat oven to 425 if you are going to cook right away. Place bottom pie crust in pie pan or casserole dish (you don’t have to cook it first). In large pan melt butter over medium heat, add onion and cook until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended “paste”. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Cook; stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened. Add chicken, veggies, potatoes/hashbrowns and mix well. Spoon into the crust – put top layer of pie crust on over top; cut slits in several places. I like to make a family initial or write something like BABY in the top with a sharp knife for decoration.
If you are giving it away, don’t cook it and attach a note with cooking instructions to the top.
–Bake it at 425 degrees for 28-38 minutes until crust is golden. I usually cover the edges of the crust with strips of foil and then take them off during the last bit of cooking.
I hope you enjoy!
I always take the dessert… Or once in a while, chicken pot pie.
Laughing at your story!! That’s terrible. This post is perfect timing, my sister is having a baby at the first of the year and I plan to take her a few meals. Cheesy Chicken will be on my list! Also looking forward to what others say…thanks!
Poor cheesy chicken:) Sounds like a yummy recipe though!
I usually take Baked Ziti w/ Italian Sausage, esp. if there are little kids in the family. I found the recipe on the back of a Prince pasta box. I like to make my own spaghetti sauce with fresh basil rather than the jarred sauce the recipe calls for.
Your timing could not be more perfect. I was just wondering what to make for dinner tonight. yum. I like to take meatloaf, baked potatoes and salad. I put the fixings for the baked potatoes in little containers.
I HAVE to try that!!! It looks delish!
I, like Darilyn, needed a new fun recipe for dinner tonight! Thanks! I am a big crockpot fan. Have you ever converted this recipe to crockpot? For some, if I don’t have dinner going by noon or 1, we don’t get dinner, unless it’s the waffle standby. I need to organize my time better!?!
I was taking a lasagna to a lady who had just had knee surgery. It didn’t even make it IN the car. I fumbled it while trying to open the car door…in the garage. The hot, glass baking dish shattered and splattered. My neighbor, who owns one of our town’s favorite restaurants, heard the commotion and came running in with his wife. While I laid in the grass, helplessly, in the fetal position, whining hysterically, these two glorious people shoveled my aromatic mess with snow shovels…all the while dialing their restaurant, ordering two complete meals…to go…for free. Thank goodness for good neighbors and friends, generous business owners, and mature adults who can remain calm in a crisis.
When I was ready to peel myself off the grass and act like an adult, I picked up these dinners and presented this precious gifts to the waiting and hungry couple. She squealed like she had won the lottery. She divulged to me later that not only were these dinners from one of her favorite restaurants, they were not really big fans of lasagna. I tried not to be too hurt. Sigh.
Danielle,
I think this recipe would work great in a crock pot. Haven’t tried it myself but may have to next time! Thanks for the idea! Love your story!!!
I did something very similar a few years ago. I was taking soup to a family and when I opened the door, I discovered that it had tipped over in the car. Luckily I had made a huge batch, so I came home and got my family’s portion and took it over. It was not fun to clean out the floor of the car though!
This recipe sure looks yummy, can’t wait to try it out.
I usually take stuffed shells, a loaf of bread and salad.
Cheesy Chicken sounds good. I’ll try it. Here’s one that I got from Relief Society when I was 20 years old. I’m still making it 30 years later. People and my family really like it. I also use a cooked chicken from the deli to save time. Easy and good.
Chicken Broccoli Casserole
3 Cups cooked Chicken (shredded into pieces)
2 Small pkgs. broccoli (cooked until tender but don’t overcook)
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Cup mayonnaise (I like Best Foods Mayo.)
1 Tablespoon lemom juice
Parmesan cheese
Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Butter a 13×9 casserole dish. Add broccoli to the bottom then
layer chicken peices on top. In another bowl mix, soup, mayo, and
lemon juice; Pour over chicken; Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (to
cover surface) and then sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Two years ago we had had snow upon snow and another storm Christmas Day. Since I couldn’t drive in it I planned on scratching our plans to go to friends up in the mountains because we simply couldn’t get there and put away all of my ingredients for scalloped potatoes. Well they were so upset they *insisted* they send their adult son in his monster truck to get us and bring us home.
Needless to say the potatoes were not made. I rushed to put them together to cook up there and get ready (hah! wash face and brush teeth was all I had time for).
Well the cream in the potatoes goes almost to the top and their daughter offered to hold the foil wrapped pan on the treacherous drive up. (I was prepared…I even had the pan on a cookie sheet). It was a disaster! She was covered in garlic cream and the casserole was missing 1/2 of what it needed…
Hope you feel better about merely “dropping” your casserole!
I’d rather have a bucket of fried chicken than cheesy chicken any day!
Clark would rather have a bucket of fried chicken then just about anything else!
mom
how crucial is the poultry seasoning?? College students do not have that in their cupboard
This looks perfectly delish & easy, my two favorite things about cooking 🙂
I usually do a potroast with all the fixings – it’s a little pricier but folks like the “comfort food” side of it. If it’s a small family, then sometimes there’s enough roast to give them plenty as well as keeping a portion or two for hubbs & I to have for lunch or on sandwiches or something. I put the roast & veggies in one of those aluminum trays & bring that along with a tray of brownies & a bagged salad. Everyone can use brownies, especially if they don’t care for potroast. 🙂
Someday we hope to have a 2nd freezer & once that happens, then I plan on making lasagnas & pot pies to have on hand for occasions like that. Yummy post!
Cali, Sounds like Santa needs to bring you some poultry seasoning in your stocking this year. I am sure it would be fine without it too – just a slight different taste.
If you don’t have poultry seasoning in your cupboard (this is the only recipe I use it in – poultry seasoning is a mix of sage,coriander, majoram, black pepper, celery seed and allspice.
See how much laughter and memories came from sharing a once embarrassing story. Reminds me of my friend whose cell phone fell off the car seat into the bowl of Italian green salad. When she tried to take it back because “it didn’t work”, they took it apart and said “of course not, it has olive oil in it.”
Made the cheesy chicken last night; however, I didn’t have chicken breasts so I used legs that I cut up into thighs & drumsticks. Absolutely loved it, but I’d cut the monterey jack cheese in half as way too much even though I LOVE cheese.
I made this for Sunday dinner today and it was wonderful. I only had half the cheese it called for and it was still delicious! Thanks for the new recipe:)
We had this for dinner last night. Cali suggested it and I was glad I had everything on hand, even a brand new container of poultry seasoning. I used a colby jack mixture of cheese as that was all I had. Our family gives it TEN thumbs up! All the kids asked for seconds and my husband was happy to finish Addi’s leftovers. Thank you again for another yummy recipe.
I don’t have a stand by dinner to take but an easy one is Chicken Tenders in Gravy
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Milk
Grated Cheese (add as little or as much as your family likes, more makes a thicker gravy)
Chicken Tenders or Breasts cut up
Mix together in a 9×13 pan, cover with foil and cook for 3 hours at 300 or 2 hours at 325. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.
Yummy! It’s a very easy little recipe to make, perfect for those really busy nights that you don’t have time to make a lot from scratch.
This sounds so good! I’m putting it on the menu for this week. I do have a question. I hope it isn’t too dumb since no one else has asked it…but what size can is the beef broth? It says to use 1/3 can of beef broth, and I have some cans that are around 15 ounces (Swanson’s) or around 10 ounces (Campbell’s) Thanks!
Cindi, I have used both brands and still just use 1/3 of a can and it works fine. Sometimes I get a little wild and put half a can in!
Thanks Leigh Anne! I can’t wait to make this. I know we will love it!
Sweet friend Leigh Anne ~ When I heard your cheesy chicken was all over my driveway I was ready to go out there with a fork and eat it off the concrete! We have enjoyed your yummy dish many times over the years and thought of your kind efforts with a good laugh each time. That boy is a senior now – can you believe it’s been that long?! Thanks for sharing your kitchen delights. Pinned many, made most, every one a winner! We’re havin’ cheesy chicken for dinner tonight! xoxo
Leslie – how fun! I never make cheesy chicken without thinking of you and my humiliation that day!! So glad you have found memories of it too. It was fun to meet and connect with your mother recently. Hard to believe that baby is almost grown. Enjoy dinner!!
Made your Thai coconut chicken soup and my family loved it. It is now one of our favorites.
You need to put out a cookbook!! I will be making this cheesy chicken in the next few days.
So glad your family enjoyed it!!
This sounds delicious and I love your story. It reminds me of a time that I was going to a potluck with my mom when I was little and I was supposed to be holding the crockpot steady and I got distracted and it tipped over. Think that was the only time in my life I heard my mom curse:-). My favorite standby is Swiss chicken casserole with chicken breast, cream of chicken soup, swiss cheese and stuffing. It isn’t very healthy but its sooo good. This recipe kind of reminds me of that – we need those recipes every once in a while!
Becki, Love your story! I remember once going to a church potluck and putting my foot into the dish my mom made as we got out of the car!!! Your standby sounds delicious!!
I’m making this for lunch (we’ll eat also your rice pilaf. I hope I don’t burn vermicelli, that scares me!!!
It looks delicious! Here I have never founded Monterey, so I’ll use vintage cheddar, let’s see what happen!
I hope my boyf, who hates mushrooms, won’t discover I used cream of mushroome, as I have use less than you said, and substitute for more cream of chichen 😛
Have a nice Sunday!!
I love your story and the others mishaps as well.
This recipe really sounds good, I will try it Sunday for dinner.
I really like the recipes I find that have a picture included. Are you going to do that? It would help.
Gloria, I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do! The picture should print with the recipe, somehow it got turned off but I just turned it back on so it should be working now.
Is this baked covered or uncovered? Thanks!
uncovered