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Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet

Chicken and broccoli share a skillet with a simple cheddar sauce made from milk and cheese. It is the weeknight version of the casserole, without turning on the oven.

Prep
10 min
Cook
18 min
Total
28 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Chicken and broccoli in a cheddar skillet sauce.

Why you’ll love it

  • One pan.
  • The sauce is milk, a little flour, and cheddar.
  • Chicken is cooked to 165°F.
  • Broccoli stays green if you do not boil it to death.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Season the chicken with salt. Sear it in the oil over medium-high until browned and 165°F, about 6 minutes. Move it out.

  2. 2

    Add the broccoli and 1/4 cup water. Cover 3 minutes, until bright and just tender. Move it next to the chicken.

  3. 3

    Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and stir 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk, pepper, and garlic powder. Simmer 2 minutes, until thick.

  4. 4

    Stir in the cheddar off the heat until melted.

  5. 5

    Return the chicken and broccoli. Add the lemon juice.

  6. 6

    Toss to coat. The sauce should cling, not pool like soup.

Pro tips

  • Add cheese off the heat so it does not turn grainy.
  • If the sauce is thick, splash in more milk.
  • Cut chicken into similar sizes so it finishes together.

Easy substitutions

Cheddar
A mix of cheddar and mozzarella.
Milk
Unsweetened soy or oat milk, same amount.
Broccoli
Cauliflower florets.

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. The sauce thickens.

Reheating

Warm on low with a splash of milk.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
430
Protein
40 g
Carbs
14 g
Fat
24 g
Fiber
3 g

Moderate · Stovetop, One Pan · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients