Aunt Sarah always knows how to feed her family. Her Cherished Chicken Bake is world-renowned, and everyone looks forward to it at each of the family gatherings. She wanted to share her creamy chicken bake that is full of tender pearl barley, steamed green beans, and melted parmesan cheese. All of that goodness gets topped with a buttery cheese cracker crumble for some extra crunch! Cherished Chicken Bake is worth the try, because Aunt Sarah wants you to share in the love… the love of good food, good family time, and good conversation, that is. Cherish it all!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 3 cups pearl barley, cooked
- 8 ounces green beans, steamed and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 cup cheese crackers, such as Cheez-It® crackers, crumbled
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 -Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
Step 3 -In a medium pan over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.
Step 4 -Add the onions and the garlic to the melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 5 -Add the flour to the onion-garlic mixture and cook, whisking constantly, about 1 minute.
Step 6 -Add the white wine and the chicken stock to the onion mixture and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil.
Step 7 -Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the sauce mixture, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened, about 4-6 minutes.
Step 8 -Add the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, to the sauce mixture and stir until it is well-combined.
Step 9 -Add the parmesan cheese to the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Cook until it is smooth.
Step 10 -Add the salt and the black pepper to the sauce and stir to combine.
Step 11 -Add the shredded chicken, the cooked barley, the green beans, and the parsley to the sauce and stir to combine.
Step 12 -Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 13 -In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the remaining butter and heat it in the microwave until melted.
Step 14 -Add the crumbled cheese crackers to the melted butter and stir to coat.
Step 15 -Evenly sprinkle the cracker topping over the chicken mixture.
Step 16 -Bake the chicken bake until it is golden and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 17 -Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and let the chicken bake stand, about 10 minutes.
Step 18 -Serve.
