This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is made with tender chicken, broccoli, and fluffy rice and topped with melty cheese. It’s make-ahead friendly, freezer-friendly, and ready in under an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights!
Want more easy chicken casserole recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights? Check out my Chicken Noodle Casserole, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and Chicken Pot Pie Casserole!
Table of Contents
- Why we love this creamy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole ingredients:
- How to make cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to store this cheesy casserole:
- Freezer Meal Option
- Serving suggestions:
- More casserole recipes you’ll love:
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
Remember those casseroles from your childhood that consisted of mostly canned soups?
Well, we’re giving this recipe a modern makeover because we’re ditching the canned soups and making this Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole from scratch!
This creamy chicken casserole has that same nostalgic flavor we all grew up with and only has a few simple ingredients! You can even use pre-cooked shredded chicken to make this delicious recipe even easier.
To make this comfort food favorite, all you have to do is dump everything in a casserole dish and bake! It’s that easy.
Why we love this creamy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly: You can make the entire casserole up until the point of baking and either bake it the next day or freeze it for up to 3 months and bake it later!
- Simple ingredients: You only need 7 basic ingredients and some spices to make this cheesy casserole.
- One dish: All you need is one casserole dish to make this whole meal.
Chicken Broccoli Casserole ingredients:
- Low-sodium chicken broth: I always use low-sodium broth, but you can use regular and just reduce the salt in the recipe.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: You’ll add one pound of raw cubed chicken to the casserole. You could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into cubes for a richer flavor.
- Fresh broccoli florets: these will cook in the casserole and become tender.
- Long grain white rice: I have not tested this recipe with any other kind, so I can’t say how they would affect the cook time.
- Half and half: I use half and half to give the casserole a creamy texture, but heavy cream would also work for a richer flavor! I would avoid using lower-fat milk as it won’t freeze well and is more prone to curdling.
- Spices: A simple blend of seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and black pepper gives the casserole flavor without overpowering it. I use Lawry’s seasoning salt, but you can use any type of seasoning salt you like.
- Butter: Dropping cubed butter on top of the casserole before baking allows it to melt down into the rice and prevent it from sticking.
- Shredded cheddar or marble cheese: You can buy pre-shredded cheddar cheese or shred your own on top! For a different flavor, you can use Colby or Monterey Jack cheese.
How to make cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:
This recipe is as simple as dump and go! For the full list of recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Add all of your ingredients minus the cheese to a baking dish.
- Stir to combine and add the cubed butter.
- Cover with foil and bake.
- Remove the foil and add the cheese until it melts.
Variations and Substitutions
- If you want to make this recipe dairy-free, you can leave out the cream and cheese and increase the amount of chicken broth! It won’t be as creamy, but it will still be just as delicious.
- If you prefer a crunchier topping, you can sprinkle some corn flakes or crushed-up Ritz crackers on the top of your casserole!
- If you have some leftover baked chicken breasts or a whole roast chicken, you can add it to the casserole instead of raw chicken!
- Add in some more veggies like shredded carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, or cauliflower if you like! Even firmer vegetables will cook with the rice in the oven.
How to store this cheesy casserole:
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, pop the casserole into the microwave for a minute or two or turn the oven to 400-425ºF for 10-15 minutes covered with foil, adding a splash of broth or water if necessary to keep it from drying out.
If you’re reheating the casserole from frozen, thaw before baking for best results.
Freezer Meal Option
You can also freeze the prepped casserole wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake according to recipe directions for the best results.
Serving suggestions:
You can serve this dish as a complete meal on its own or pair it with some lighter sides like a side salad or a generous chunk of artisan bread or homemade garlic bread to soak up all that cheesy goodness!
More casserole recipes you’ll love:
- BBQ Chili Cheese Biscuit Casserole — one of my favorite for cleaning out the veggie drawer.
- Cheeseburger Casserole with Potatoes — always a hit with the kids!
- Ground Beef Casserole recipe — a crowd pleaser!
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole — easier than the pie and just as delicious.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2) cut in ½-¾” cubes
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1½ cups long grain white rice rinsed well
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt*
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or marble cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Rinse rice thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve.
- Add broth, uncooked chicken breasts, broccoli, rice, half and half, seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder and black pepper to the baking dish. Stir to combine and place dots of butter over top.
- Seal tightly with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes, until rice is al dente.
- Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven to melt and serve.
Notes
- Rice: any long grain white rice will work well in this recipe. Unfortunately I have not tested with brown rice so I can’t say how the recipe would change.
- Chicken: it might seem strange to add uncooked chicken to a casserole, but it works just great! If you have pre-cooked Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Perfect Roast Chicken, you can add those in instead!
- Broth: I always start with low sodium broth and season as needed. If you are starting with salted broth you will want to reduce the added salt and adjust as needed.
- Cream: any kind of cream will work in here, a heavier cream will have a richer flavor.
- Seasoning salt: adjust as needed according to the broth you are using. I like Lawry’s seasoning salt, but you can also use 1-1.5 teaspoons of regular salt and add other seasonings as desired.
- Make it dairy free: you can swap the cream with additional broth and leave out the cheese for a dairy-free meal.
Nutrition Information
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