This slow cooker cheesy chicken and broccoli is cozy, creamy, and made with just six simple ingredients. The chicken turns tender and shreddable in a cheddar sauce, while the broccoli stays bright and flavorful. You’re going to love how easy it is to get a warm, satisfying dinner on the table.
Why You’ll Love It
- Just six ingredients — no special shopping trip required.
- Hands-off cooking — the slow cooker does most of the work.
- Creamy cheddar sauce — tender shredded chicken, soup, and cheese make it rich and cozy.
- Broccoli added near the end — it stays tender and bright green instead of turning mushy.
- Feeds six comfortably — especially served over noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are what I use here, about four or five medium ones to get you to two pounds. They cook gently in the soup and cheese, so they don’t wind up dry—which is usually my complaint about chicken breasts, if we’re being candid.
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The cream of chicken soup is doing a lot of quiet work in this recipe. It makes the sauce creamy and savory without needing milk, flour, or a separate saucepan. Use the regular condensed kind, not a ready-to-eat soup. I keep a few cans in the pantry for recipes like this, although my pantry organization has become less “system” and more “archaeological dig” lately.
Cheddar is best freshly shredded if you have the energy. It melts a little smoother. But bagged shredded cheddar works perfectly well, and I use it plenty. Sharp cheddar gives the whole thing more personality; mild cheddar is gentler for picky eaters.
Fresh or frozen broccoli both work. Frozen is particularly handy because you do not thaw it first. Just break apart any big frozen clumps before it goes in. Don’t add it at the beginning, though. I know I already said that, but I am repeating myself because mushy broccoli is one of life’s small insults.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 to 5 medium pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen—frozen straight from the bag is just fine
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided; I usually use sharp, but use what your people will eat
Instructions
Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the salt and black pepper. I do this right on a cutting board, nothing fancy. Give them an even coating, but don’t fuss over every last grain of pepper.
Lay the seasoned chicken breasts in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker in as even a layer as you can manage. Mine overlap a little sometimes, and the world continues to turn.
Spoon the cream of chicken soup over the chicken, then spread it around gently so most of the chicken is covered. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar over the soup, saving the remaining 1/2 cup for the end. It will look a little odd at this stage—pale soup, raw chicken, loose cheese—but don’t judge it yet.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. I prefer LOW when I can because it gives me more wiggle room, but some days are a HIGH setting kind of day. We’ve all been there.
About 30 to 45 minutes before you plan to eat, stir in the broccoli florets, tucking them down into the cheesy sauce around the chicken. If you are using frozen broccoli, don’t thaw it—just separate any big chunks with your hands or a spoon. Cover again and cook on HIGH for about 30 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.
Use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker once the broccoli is tender. Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce and broccoli, then taste it. Add a little more salt and pepper if it needs it. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t; canned soup and cheddar both bring their own saltiness to the party.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over the top, cover the slow cooker, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve it hot over rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. A crusty slice of bread is not required, exactly, but it is awfully useful for getting every bit of sauce off the plate.
Variations
Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream at the very end, just before that final cheese topping goes on. Plain Greek yogurt works too, and it makes the sauce a touch tangier.
If you want some color, add 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper along with the broccoli. It brings a little sweetness and makes the whole crock look less beige, which—let’s face it—is sometimes needed with comfort food.
For a bigger crowd, you can stir in 2 cups cooked rice or cooked egg noodles after shredding the chicken. Let it sit on WARM for 10 to 15 minutes so the starch soaks up some sauce.
Cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup can stand in for cream of chicken if that is what you have. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work nicely too and stay especially tender. I tried adding smoked paprika once—just 1/2 teaspoon—and liked the little smoky edge. Bacon crumbled over the top is also delicious, although at that point we are not exactly pretending this is a light supper. No point lying to ourselves.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days, and they reheat well in the microwave. Add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened up too much overnight, then heat it in short bursts and stir between them.
The broccoli will soften some after chilling. That is just the nature of leftover broccoli; it has no interest in staying picture-perfect for us. The flavor is still great, especially spooned over fresh rice or tucked into a baked potato for lunch.
I have frozen portions before, usually when I am feeling unusually disciplined, but the sauce can be a little less smooth after thawing and the broccoli gets softer. It is still perfectly edible—better than a drive-through burger anyway—but I like it best from the fridge within a couple of days.
Final Notes
This is not a glamorous meal. But it is warm, filling, and dependable, which counts for a whole lot in a regular family kitchen.
That is what meals like this do, I think. They hold up an ordinary evening while the rest of life carries on being messy and loud and occasionally ridiculous. And if there is enough cheddar on top, well… things could be worse.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts About 4 to 5 medium pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups broccoli florets Fresh or frozen; do not thaw frozen broccoli
- 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup Use regular condensed soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Divided; use sharp or mild cheddar
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts evenly with the salt and black pepper.
- Lay the seasoned chicken breasts in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker in as even a layer as possible.
- Spoon the cream of chicken soup over the chicken and spread it around gently so most of the chicken is covered, then sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar over the soup and reserve the remaining 1/2 cup for the end.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- About 30 to 45 minutes before serving, stir in the broccoli florets and tuck them into the cheesy sauce around the chicken; if using frozen broccoli, separate large clumps without thawing, cover, and cook on HIGH for about 30 minutes until tender but still bright green.
- Once the broccoli is tender, use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker, stir it into the sauce and broccoli, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top, cover, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts, then serve hot over rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes.
