Chicken Casserole With Ritz Crackers Recipe 425

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Melt margarine in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk and broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole or square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with parsley sprig if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F Thaw the broccoli, making sure it is well-drained. Drain the canned chicken chunks.
• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, and cheddar cheese.
• Spoon half of the broccoli in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread one can of the chicken over the broccoli, followed by half of the cheese mixture from step 2. Smooth with a spatula, and repeat layers. You will end with the cheese mixture on top.
• Crush the Ritz crackers, and melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the cracker crumbs to the melted butter, tossing to coat. Spread over the top of the casserole.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly and the crackers are slightly browned. Let set for 30 minutes before serving.
• NOTES: Casserole can be assembled through step 3 the day ahead. Cover with foil and store in the refrigerator until time to bake. Pick up with step 4. Also, the cracker topping can be made by melting the butter in the microwave, crushing the crackers in a large ziptop bag, and pouring the butter over the crumbs. Squeeze the bag to make sure the butter is distributed evenly. Ingredients can be swapped for their low-fat counterparts, but the texture won't be as creamy.