Crunchy-Topped Swiss Chicken Bake
Get this recipe for the popular Swiss chicken bake casserole with completely homemade (and super easy) sauce! No more relying on canned cream of chicken soup!
This recipe is a total throwback to my youth.
Except that, no offense to my youth, I’ve revamped the recipe to include an all-homemade sauce (thanks to a variation on this from-scratch cream of chicken soup recipe) and dare I say, this new and improved Swiss chicken bake with buttery, crunchy topping is just as delightful as the original I remember eating decades ago.
The concept is simple: fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts are topped with Swiss cheese, the simple homemade sauce, and a quick buttery, flavorful Panko topping.
Serve it over rice or quinoa but remember it would be delicious on it’s own, too. It’s versatile like that.
What to Serve With This
- Hot, cooked rice or quinoa
- Skillet Green Beans
One Year Ago: Roasted Balsamic Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Two Years Ago: Firecracker Chicken
Three Years Ago: Baked Doughnuts
Crunchy-Topped Swiss Chicken Bake
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ⅛ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste if needed
- Pinch of dried parsley
- Pinch of paprika
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Chicken and Cheese:
- 5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 5-6 large slices Swiss cheese
Topping:
- 1 ¼ cups panko bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan.
- For the sauce, in a medium saucepan, bring the broth and all the seasonings to a simmer. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, vigorously whisk the milk and flour together until smooth. While whisking the broth, slowly pour in the flour/milk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add additional salt and pepper to taste as needed.
- Pat the chicken dry and lightly season with salt and pepper on each side. Place the chicken in a single layer in the baking pan – it’s ok if the chicken is crammed in side-by-side as long as it isn’t overlapping much.
- Place a slice of Swiss cheese on every chicken breast. Pour the sauce evenly over the top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- While baking, make the topping: in a ziploc bag or in a bowl, toss together the panko, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and dried parsley. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix to combine.
- After the first 30 minutes of baking, remove the pan from the oven, uncover and sprinkle with the topping mixture. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the chicken is cooked through.
- Let the casserole rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve over hot, cooked rice or quinoa, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
We are dairy free in our house. Do you have a suggestion for substitutions for the milk in the sauce?
You could try a dairy-free milk (that doesn’t have vanilla flavoring added)
Quick question, when you use this as a take in, how do you prep the side (rice)
I make the rice and then scoop it into a disposable aluminum pan and cover with foil.
Have you ever added mushrooms to the sauce?
I haven’t, but you could definitely experiment!
Do you think dried breadcrumbs will work instead of panko? I make your sandwich bread every week and have the heels to use up – I usually toast and make breadcrumbs and freeze to use in another recipe.
I think so – the texture will be a bit different but I think it will work.
I want to make this recipe for a crowd (24). Do not want to be cooking and messing up kitchen when guests arrive around 3–eating at 5. One guests will be using my oven. Can you make a larger version (4x recipe) of this in an electric roaster? How will I keep topping from getting soggy. Would like it a bit crispy.
You could definitely try! I haven’t tried it myself. The topping definitely won’t be as crispy as if it was cooked in the oven (you could maybe toast the topping in the oven and sprinkle it over the top?).
Delicious! Everyone in the family loved it and had seconds!
*I was running short on time, so I butterflied the chicken breasts. I also toasted the breadcrumb mixture in a skillet until golden brown and sprinkled it over the casserole, so I only baked the dish for 30 minutes to cook the chicken through.
This was great! All my kids gave it the thumbs up (a rarity!)
It sounds like the instructions for freezing say to make the sauce and pour it over the chicken and freeze. Do you find making this ahead and freezing causes the sauce to separate? Is it just as good?
We like it just fine baked from frozen – it’s a little bit more watery than if it hasn’t been frozen, but still yummy
Mel, this has become the “signature dish” to serve when company is coming. I always have a copy of your printed recipe on hand to share as friends ask for it! I really appreciate the effort you put into your web site, but most of all we really enjoy your recipes! From baking, to main dishes and deserts, you are the best!!!
Thanks, Katherine! I’m making a double batch of this to take in to two families tomorrow. Glad you love it!
Maybe this is a no-brainer, but if this is to be a freezer meal, do you freeze it with raw chicken?
Yep.
I have boneless, skinless chicken thighs on hand. Would it be ok to use them in place of the chicken breasts?
Yes, but you may need to increase the baking time to make sure they cook through all the way.
Thank you so much for the prompt response, Mel
I made this last night for dinner and it was SO GOOD!! I love that it’s not a can of soup, thank you!!
Can I freeze this in a ziploc instead of foil?
Could certainly try. 🙂
Could I freeze this in a ziploc freezer bag rather than double-foil? Making this yumminess for a freezer meal exchange.
Could I freeze this in a ziploc freezer bag rather than double-foil? Making this for yumminess a freezer meal exchange.
What are the freezer directions for this?
I just updated the notes of the recipe with the freezing directions.
My mom makes a similar dish but she puts a slice of tomato on top of the chicken before the swiss. It’s delicious! We also like to spoon the sauce onto baked potatoes.
Thanks for a new twist on a family favorite!
I made this dish last weekend and again this weekend. It was really delicious. I made the sauce part early in the morning and refrigerated until I was ready. I also made the crumb topping about 2 hours ahead and just left it on the counter. When I got home later and was ready to assemble, I just stirred the sauce, topped the chicken with everything and baked. I was a little worried about the 50 minute bake time, but the chicken stayed perfectly moist and the topping was excellent. A great, comforting fall meal. Thank you!!!
I made this last night! So delicious! I used 3 large chicken breasts I cut them into strips and it was enough to feed my family of 5 and have leftovers. Everyone got seconds (except for my husband BC he said he wanted to save his for leftovers the next day bc he liked it so much). Anyways I will definitely be making this again!
I made this last night! So delicious! I used 3 large chicken breasts I cut them into strips and it was enough to feed my family of 5 and have leftovers. Everyone got seconds (except for my husband BC he said he wanted to save his for leftovers bc he liked it so much). Anyways I will definitely be making this again!
Hey Mel! Can’t wait to try this tonight! Is it ok to assemble it a few hours before I pop it into the oven?
Sure! But I’d probably wait to add the topping until right before you put it in the oven so it doesn’t get soggy.
I made this last night and halved it in an 8×8 inch baking dish. I did however keep the sauce amount the same as the original recipe (we love extra sauce) and kept some of it warm on the stove while the chicken baked. It was delicious! And so fast to put together. Thank you!
Did you reduce the bake time ? If so, to what?
Just bought chicken breasts today and with the weather really cooling down, this sounds so comforting. Forgot to tell you that I tried the homemade cream of chicken soup recipe in Funeral Potatoes for granddaughter’s family birthday party. Such a good recipe, had pretty well stopped using “cream of” soups, but now have a recipe I really do like. Thanks for fixing foods that my family likes too.
How did you know that my husband accidentally bought double the amount of Swiss cheese I needed for a recipe? Perfect timing!
Perfect timing! Had everything I needed except had to pick up Swiss cheese. This went together in minutes and was awesome! Will definitely make again. Served over mashed potatoes and veggies. Great weeknight dinner:)
Have you ever cooked the baked brown rice recipe at the same time you are baking this dish? Can I put both recipes in the oven for the 50 minutes that the chicken is baking or will that mess up internal temperatures?
As long as your oven can fit them both in, it should be fine.
I love Albertsons. Can’t beat their sales!!!! Way to Mel
Mel! I can’t wait to try this recipe. The last time I tried it with cream of whatever soup, I almost couldn’t eat it. It looks amazing!
Looks amazing, are there any other cheeses that can replace the Swiss?
I’ve made it before with Monterey Jack in a pinch and it was yummy.
Can I cheat and use canned cream of mushroom/chicken soup if I’m in a pinch? If so, how much? Looks delicious!!im sure homemade is the way to go 🙂
I’m not really sure, Christine, since I haven’t made it with the canned soup – I think it’d be right around 1 can of soup with an extra 1/4 cup milk.
Inspired to cook this for supper tonight. 🙂
Looks delicious. Haven’t had anything like this in a while, I think it is time 🙂
This looks delicious. I would like to make this for just two people. Will leftovers of this dish reheat well, or should I just halve the recipe?
Sarah – we love the leftovers of this dish but you could certainly cut the recipe in half, too.
Wow this recipe is pure nostalgia – and I have to admit, I love the original version from my childhood, all cream-of-chicken soup goodness, topped with Stove-Top dressing! Your version looks wonderful, I have been wanting to give your homemade cream soup recipe a go!
P.S. your sweet pork burritos are on the menu for next week – I already have hoarded leftover black beans, shredded pork and cilantro lime rice from meal #1 in the freezer in preparation for the deliciousness!
I’m with Kim–I was just thinking what a perfect comfort food recipe for fall. I just made your Creamy Swiss Cheese Chicken Bake this week, which is a family favorite, and will surely be making this over the weekend. Looks so easy, and no chopping of onion, garlic, etc., and no sautéing, so nice and quick to put together. Now we just need one final Friday recipe post from you to make our week completely perfect!!!
I am loving you posting a new recipe everyday this week, Mel! This looks so delicious- perfect Fall comfort food!
Love this, Mel! I’m always looking for new ways to cook boneless chicken breasts, and you can’t beat a stock-up sale like this one. Looks amazing! And not for nothing, but the only way the kid in the photo could be more convincing would be if he were one of your 4. 🙂
xo Nicole
Ok, I’ll have to agree with you on that one, Nicole!