Description
This Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is a simple yet flavorful dish combining tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and creamy cheese. Perfect for quick dinners or meal prep, it’s satisfying comfort food that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups white long grain rice, uncooked
- 2–3 cups fresh broccoli florets, uncooked
- 10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup, (condensed)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, separated
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup ritz crackers, crushed
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Refer to your rice package for the amount of liquid (using chicken broth) and cooking time. This method works well for white long grain rice.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add chicken broth, olive oil, and rice to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Cover and cook for 6 minutes.
- Mix in the broccoli, cover again, and cook for another 9 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. If not fully cooked, simmer for an additional 5 minutes with the lid on.
- Keep covered and remove from heat. Let it stand for 10 minutes without stirring to allow any rice stuck to the bottom to release.
- Stir in the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, optional seasonings, and half of the cheddar cheese.
- Transfer to a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
- Combine melted butter with crushed crackers and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot!
Notes
This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the freezer for an easy meal later.
Feel free to substitute the chicken with shredded rotisserie chicken for extra flavor and convenience.
For extra vegetable content, consider adding diced carrots or peas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 75mg