Baked chicken breasts and broccoli covered in creamy cheddar-beer rarebit sauce in a vintage casserole dish.

Chicken Rarebit

Name: Chicken Rarebit
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 3 cups broccoli florets; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup mild beer; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard; 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

A cheddar-beer sauce bubbles over the chicken and broccoli until the edges turn golden. Mustard and Worcestershire keep the rich rarebit from tasting one-note.

By Betty Lou GardnerAbout 1 hour 10 minutesUpdated 2026-08-25

Sharp cheddar, beer, mustard, and Worcestershire give this old-fashioned chicken-and-broccoli casserole the savory depth of classic rarebit. The from-scratch sauce stays rich and spoonable, making crusty bread an especially good companion on cooler evenings.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

I usually keep a loaf of bread nearby with this because there is always extra sauce left in the dish worth soaking up. Sometimes I leave the broccoli a little firmer than seems necessary because it softens more while everything bakes together.

How to Make Chicken Rarebit

◆

Browned chicken breasts arranged over blanched broccoli in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, with the last chicken breast still in the skillet.

Blanch the Broccoli and Brown the Chicken

Blanch the broccoli only until bright green and still firm. Lightly brown the seasoned chicken in butter, then arrange it over the well-drained broccoli in the baking dish.

Creamy cheddar-beer rarebit sauce in a skillet with a whisk, shredded cheddar, beer, butter, flour, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce nearby.

Make the Rarebit Sauce

Build a smooth roux in the same skillet, whisk in the beer, and gently thicken it. Remove the skillet from the heat before adding the sharp cheddar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.

Cheddar-beer rarebit sauce being poured over browned chicken breasts and broccoli in a baking dish beside an open oven.

Pour and Bake

Pour the rarebit sauce over the chicken and broccoli. Bake until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the chicken reaches 165°F, then let the casserole rest briefly before serving.