Description

Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Chicken is the creamy, cheesy, deeply comforting slow cooker dinner that wraps your whole family in a warm hug on even the most exhausting weeknight. Tender chicken slow-cooks in a rich cream of chicken base, then gets stirred with fresh broccoli and sharp cheddar until everything melts into the most incredible cheesy sauce you have ever poured over rice. Five minutes of morning prep and your slow cooker handles everything else.

Ingredients

- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (thighs stay juicier — breasts shred beautifully)

- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

- 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed (pull from the fridge 30 minutes ahead so it blends smoothly)

- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1 teaspoon onion powder

- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

- Salt and black pepper to taste

- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces (frozen works — add straight from frozen in the last 30 minutes)

- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded from the block (pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy — always shred your own)

- Optional: 1/2 cup sour cream stirred in at the end for extra creaminess

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Instructions

Step 1: Build the Creamy Base

Whisk together the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper directly in the slow cooker until smooth and combined.

Step 2: Nestle in the Chicken

Place the chicken breasts or thighs into the creamy soup base, pressing them down slightly so they are mostly submerged. Dot the softened cream cheese cubes over the top of the chicken.

Step 3: Slow Cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Your kitchen is going to smell absolutely wonderful. The chicken is ready when it shreds easily with two forks and reaches 165°F internally. Shred it right in the slow cooker and stir everything together.

Step 4: Add the Broccoli

Stir the fresh broccoli florets into the shredded chicken and sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 25 to 30 minutes until the broccoli is just fork-tender — bright green and slightly crisp is what you’re going for here, not soft and gray. Frozen broccoli can go straight in from frozen.

Step 5: Melt in the Cheddar

Reduce the slow cooker to LOW. Add the freshly shredded cheddar cheese in two or three handfuls, stirring after each addition until completely melted and the sauce is smooth and gloriously cheesy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving.

Step 6: Serve It Up

Ladle generously over steamed white rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. An extra pinch of smoked paprika and a handful of shredded cheddar scattered over the top turns this weeknight staple into something that looks genuinely impressive on the table.

Notes

Always grate cheddar fresh from a block — pre-shredded bags have starch coatings that create a grainy sauce.

Add broccoli in the last 30 minutes only — broccoli cooked for hours turns gray and mushy.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Category: Dinner, Main Course
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American