Chicken Kiev Casserole (Printable version)
Baked chicken with garlic-herb butter, creamy sauce, and crispy panko topping — pure comfort food.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Garlic-Herb Butter
02 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
06 - 1 tsp lemon juice
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Sauce & Dairy
09 - 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Breadcrumb Topping
12 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme or parsley
→ Extras
15 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
16 - Nonstick cooking spray or oil (for greasing)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or oil.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well blended and smooth. Set aside.
03 - Place the bite-sized chicken pieces in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
04 - Dot spoonfuls of the garlic-herb butter mixture evenly over the arranged chicken pieces.
05 - Pour the heavy cream and chicken broth evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on top.
06 - If desired, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the casserole for an extra cheesy layer.
07 - In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter and dried thyme or parsley. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the entire surface of the casserole.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
09 - Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The garlic herb butter melts right into the cream sauce and creates something you will want to drag crusty bread through.
- It uses simple pantry ingredients but tastes like you spent far more effort than twenty minutes of prep.
02 -
- Cut all the chicken pieces roughly the same size or the small ones will overcook while the large ones are still pink inside.
- Do not skip the resting time because the sauce needs those few minutes to settle into something scoopable rather than soupy.
03 -
- Take the butter out of the fridge at least an hour before you start because cold butter will not blend evenly with the herbs and garlic.
- For deeper flavor, let the garlic herb butter sit in the fridge overnight, then bring it back to room temperature before assembling the casserole.