chicken broccoli foil packs

mom’s always know best.

and that is very much the case when it comes to mama lisa’s chicken broccoli casserole.

something tells me that you have a special someone in your life that makes their own spin on chicken broccoli casserole – some cooks put corn in the mix, some use ritz crackers for the crunch, some even get nuts + use homemade cream of chicken soup. no matter how it’s baked up, it’s a classic in the comfort food world!

my boyfriends mom, mama lisa as i like to call her, perfects the layers of crunchy croutons, creamy cream of chicken soup + moist chicken bites. she adds just enough of each to satisfy!

she can bake up four, five casseroles without breaking a sweat {i know, i’ve seen it!} + the best part about watching mama lisa make her chicken broccoli casserole is the pride that goes into each tin. she knows that her family craves it cross-country, she knows that everyone will go back for seconds + that every bite warms the hearts of those who are bellied up to the table.

growing up, aj tells of this comforting dish as being something they would have on special occasions – birthdays, holidays, educational milestones.

my first experience with mama lisa’s chicken broccoli casserole was on one of my first family dinners with aj’s family – nearly 6 years ago! i remember sitting down, napkin on my lap, just watching as everyone went to town on the casseroles! before i knew it, i too, was practically licking my plate + asking for seconds.

after dinner, as the casserole comas set in, we all laid in our seats sat around the table + played cards. it was everything that a family dinner ought to be – full of laughs, love + tasty mom-cooked food.

casseroles are essentially edible hugs + mama lisa is a hug machine!

the family has grown older but the silver lining to the moving + life changes that have gone along with time is that now, whenever we are all together, mama lisa bakes up a huge batch!

and it’s like no time has gone by! there’s laughs, love + the classic casserole coma.

as any girlfriend knows, don’t even try to trump their mama’s cooking! so with a wise {and respectful!} head on my shoulders, knowing i would never be able to cure aj’s craving for chicken broccoli casserole – i instead used it as inspiration!

i started with a couple of the key ingredients, added in a few weeknight shortcuts + counted the cals! voila! the chicken broccoli foil pack was born!

a fail-proof meal cooked in foil that bakes up in less that 30 minutes – now that’s cooking {and cleanup!} any mom would be proud of!

this dish is so simple! and while it may not warrant cross-country cravings, it sure does hit the spot on a cozy night at home. enjoy!

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i know 561 calories for a dinner, isn’t exactly diet food but it is definitely it a cut back from the original! {and is totally acceptable on a gym day!} to cut even more cals, i would suggest to omit the bacon or halve the stuffing mix in each packet.

get crazy with the additions here! asparagus or carrots would lend well to the flavors as well as a scoop of your favorite grain – like cooked quinoa or rice!

simply cut the recipe down from 4 servings to 1! one of the best part about this foil pack is that it is already a single serving!

no stuffing on hand? i have swapped in everything from stale bread cubes to croutons to crostini bits! just be aware of your salt levels.. the stuffing even at low-sodium really packs a salt punch, so adjust as needed if your swap isn’t seasoned.