032 / 75 · Chicken, Turkey and Fish Suppers

Turkey Broccoli Cheese Bake

One 9×13 in (23×33 cm) baking dish, at least 3.5 qt/3.3 L;6 main-dish portions · Active 40 min · Total 1 hr 40 min

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Turkey pieces, small potato cubes and broccoli florets make a complete supper beneath a light cheddar finish. Each part gets a useful head start: potatoes are simmered, broccoli is briefly steamed and turkey is cooked to temperature in the skillet. The sauce then brings them together without turning the vegetables into a pale purée.

Jump to ingredients

Drawn turkey, broccoli and potato cheese bake with distinct vegetables.

Keep three starting states separate

A raw potato cube, a broccoli floret and a turkey piece do not need the same cooking time. Simmer the potatoes until just tender, steam broccoli briefly and cook the poultry separately. That sounds like more organization, but the stages overlap and prevent one ingredient being overcooked while another remains hard. Cut the potatoes into similar small cubes and let them drain without mashing. Spread broccoli on a plate after steaming so excess moisture can escape before it enters the sauce.

A cheese sauce is made before cheese is added

Soften onion, cook the flour in butter and gradually whisk in milk and stock until the base coats a spoon. Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the larger portion of cheddar and mustard. Cheese added to a vigorously boiling thin sauce can become less smooth, and it cannot repair an unthickened base. Fold the prepared turkey, potatoes and broccoli through gently. The florets should remain recognizable, even though their texture softens further during baking. Keep a small amount of cheddar for the surface rather than laying a deep blanket over the whole pan.

Read the final dish, not just the topping

A golden edge is an appealing finish but does not tell you the center temperature. Check several points in the filling without touching the pan. The poultry was already cooked, yet the assembled casserole still needs 165°F. Rest briefly and divide with a broad spoon so turkey and potatoes reach each serving. A plain fresh salad can be a useful companion, but another starchy side is not needed because potatoes are already part of the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 2 oz waxy potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-in/2-cm cubes (500 g prepared)
  • 6 cups water (1.4 L), for potatoes
  • 1 lb broccoli, small florets and peeled stem dice (450 g prepared)
  • 1 cup water (240 ml), for steaming
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (15 ml)
  • 1 lb 5 oz boneless skinless turkey breast, cut in 3/4-in/2-cm pieces (600 g)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (30 g)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (150 g)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (25 g)
  • 1 3/4 cups milk (420 ml)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (120 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (10 g)
  • 4 oz mature cheddar, grated (115 g), divided:3 oz/85 g for sauce and 1 oz/30 g for top
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Set out

Oven, 9×13 in (23×33 cm) baking dish, at least 3.5 qt/3.3 L, Large saucepan, Steamer basket and covered pan, 12-in/30-cm deep skillet, Colander, Plate, Whisk, Rimmed baking sheet, Food thermometer, Suitable foil if the topping colors before the center finishes

Allergens

Milk, Wheat, Mustard; check stock for celery or other allergens. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Put the dish on a rimmed sheet. Bring potatoes and their water to a boil; simmer 10–12 minutes until just tender, then drain. Meanwhile steam broccoli stem dice over their water 2 minutes, add florets and steam 3 minutes more until nearly tender; spread on a plate.
  2. Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey 8–10 minutes, turning, until several thick pieces reach 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a clean plate.
  3. Lower heat, melt butter and cook onion 7–9 minutes until soft. Stir in flour 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk and stock. Simmer 3–4 minutes until sauce coats a spoon. Take off the heat and stir in mustard,85 g cheddar, salt and pepper.
  4. Fold turkey, potatoes and broccoli gently into the warm sauce and spread in the dish. Scatter remaining 30 g cheddar. Bake 25–30 minutes until lightly golden and the center and several other points reach 165°F (74°C). Shield the surface loosely with foil if needed while the center finishes.
  5. Rest 5 minutes and divide into six portions.

Fold after everything has its head start

Do not keep stirring to make the filling look uniform. Intact broccoli florets and potato cubes are more useful here than a smooth mixture with turkey hidden inside.

A useful detail

The 100-minute total includes preparing three main ingredients, overlapping vegetable cooking with turkey, the full sauce stage, bake and rest. Turkey pieces are checked before assembly and the whole casserole is checked again.

Another way

  • Replace turkey with 600 g boneless skinless chicken breast in the same-size pieces. Retain the 165°F (74°C) poultry and casserole endpoints.

Keep it well

Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3 days or an earlier ingredient deadline. Reheat to 165°F (74°C). Refrigeration is preferred to freezing because potatoes can become grainy and broccoli much softer after thawing.