6 to 8 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
2 1/2-pounds chicken breasts
4-pounds Russet potatoes
2 1/2-pounds broccoli
Olive oil
Salted butter
Whole milk
Heavy whipping cream
Sour cream
2 eight-ounce packages sharp cheddar cheese
1 small lime
Seasonings
Salt
Black pepper
White pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s poultry magic
Chef Paul’s vegetable magic
Granulated onion
Granulated garlic
Mesquite seasoning
Mesquite liquid smoke
Dried thyme
All-purpose flour
Tools you’ll need
11 by 17-inch baking pan
Potato peeler
Potato masher
Cheese shredder
Preparation of ingredients
Chicken breasts
Step 1- Rinse chicken breasts with cold water. Pat each chicken breast dry with napkins. Place chicken breasts onto a chopping board and cut each chicken breast in half by taking a sharp knife and cutting the chicken from the side reducing the thickness of the chicken breasts. From there place chicken breats into a medium-sized bowl.
Step 2- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon Chef Paul’s poultry magic, 1 teaspoon granulated onion, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon mesquite seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 or 3 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke, 2 or 3 teaspoons olive oil and squeeze half of a lime into medium-sized bowl with the chicken breasts. Coating all of the seasonings, lime and olive oil onto the chicken breasts. Cover bowl with lid and place into fridge for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
Russet potatoes
Step 3- Peel each potato with a potato peeler. From there cut each potato in half and cut it into medium-sized chunks. Add potato cubes into large bowl and fill with water until the water line passes the cubed potatoes. Move the potato cubes around the water using your hands for 1 minute. From there add the potato cubes into a strainer and let sit until ready to be cooked.
Broccoli
Step 4- Cut the stems off the broccoli florets. From there cut the larger pieces of broccoli florets down into medium-sized pieces and add them into a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and move the broccoli florets in the water for 1 minute. From there add the broccoli florets into a mesh strainer and let sit until ready to be cooked.
Sharp cheddar cheese
Step 5- Shredd two 8-ounce packs of sharp cheddar cheese into a medium-sized bowl using the cheese shredder. Once done place into fridge until ready to be cooked.
Baking the chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Notes- Baking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. It can take more or less time. Also, in the recipe video on YouTube you saw me place the chicken breasts on the lower rack, they are normally baked on the middle rack for even cooking.
Step 6- Add 2 teaspoons olive oil into an 11 by 17-inch baking pan. Spread olive oil around the baking pan. Add chicken breasts into the baking pan.
Step 7- Place into a preheated 350-degree oven on the middle rack. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Once the baking time has ended remove the chicken breasts from the oven. Place the chicken breasts onto a serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Deglazing the baking pan
Notes- Adding the water to the baking pan with the pan juices in it will make a ice flavorful stock mixture. Flavor of the liquid should be concentrated. No chicken bouillon or cubes needed.
Chicken breast pan juices.
Step 8- Add 1 1/2 cups hot water into the 11 by 17-inch baking pan and let soak for 2 minutes. From there take a spatula and glide it around the baking pan. Add the baking pan juices into a measuring cup and set aside.
Making the chicken gravy
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 9- Add 2 tablespoons salted butter and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour into a large saucepan. Stir continuously for 3 minutes or until roux is a peanut butter color. Add chicken breast pan juices and stir. Let simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Once done set on the side to cool until it’s warm.
Potato cubes
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 10- Add 2 quarts water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into a large pot and let come to a simmer. Add potato cubes and stir. Let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes stirring occasionally. Add potato cubes into a mesh strainer and let the potato cubes cool until it’s warm. Once the potato cubes have cooled, place into a large bowl.
Step 11- Mash the potato cubes really well with a potato masher and set aside.
Assembling the mashed potatoes
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 12- Add 6 tablespoons salted butter, 2/3 or 3/4 cup whole milk, 3 tablespoons sour cream, 1/2 or 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon chef Paul’s vegetable magic, 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion and 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic into a large pot. Stir all ingredients together with a whisk until combined. Let get hot for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Turn fire off and add mashed potatoes into the large pot and stir with a wooden sturdy spoon really well until combined. Let mashed potatoes cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Broccoli florets
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 13- Add 2 quarts water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into a large pot and let come to a simmer. Add broccoli florets and stir. Let simmer for 2 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Once done add the broccoli florets into a mesh strainer and let cool until warm.
Making the cheese sauce
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 14- Add 3 tablespoons salted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon chef Paul’s vegetable magic into a large saucepan. Let get hot for 1 to 2 minutes.
Turn your fire down from medium to low heat.
Step 15- Add your shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted into the liquid. Turn your fire off and add the cooked broccoli florets and stir well. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Cheese sauce will thicken as it cools.
YouTube instructional video
