Chicken Rarebit

Chicken & Broccoli

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs — about 5 to 6 pieces of similar thickness
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper — divided
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 cups broccoli florets

Rarebit Sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup mild beer — lager or amber ale, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese — freshly shredded

1. Prepare Oven and Broccoli: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add broccoli and blanch for 2 minutes, just until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain thoroughly, then arrange the broccoli in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.3 cups broccoli
2. Brown the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season it evenly with the kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown the chicken for 2–3 minutes per side, just until golden but not cooked through. Arrange the chicken over the broccoli.2 pounds chicken, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon butter
3. Make the Rarebit Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the skillet cool for about 1 minute. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until smooth and lightly bubbling but not browned. Slowly whisk in the beer, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cheddar in three additions, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next.2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 cup beer, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 cups cheddar cheese
4. Bake: Pour the rarebit sauce evenly over the chicken and broccoli. Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 5–10 minutes, until the sauce bubbles gently around the edges and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. Larger chicken portions may require a few additional minutes.
5. Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot directly from the baking dish, spooning plenty of rarebit sauce over each portion.