Cheesy Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole Recipe is the ultimate comfort food. It’s creamy, cheesy and and full of so much flavor.

Chicken and Rice – A Long-Time Comfort Food

Growing up in the Midwest, chicken and rice was a pretty common dish. It was an easy dinner recipe with a reasonable cook time (approximately 45 minutes). That made it a perfect weeknight casserole.

However, it could be a pretty boring dinner (by today’s standards), as it was mainly chicken, rice, some cream of mushroom soup and a little salt and pepper. An easy recipe for sure, but maybe not the most thrilling to the taste buds!

I really do love taking classic recipes that I grew up with and seeing what I can do to bring in new, interesting flavors and textures while keeping true to the basic nature of the those recipes. I wanted to do the same with a classic chicken and rice recipe.

Clarity at the Nail Salon

You never know where or when inspiration will hit you as you’re in recipe development mode. For weeks, I had been trying to come up with a recipe for a chicken and rice dish, but I was coming up completely dry. I was searching for recipes online and in my cookbooks and magazines, but nothing seemed quite right and I really wanted something that was my own.

What I find is sometimes you need to be in a different environment and let your mind go in different directions. For this recipe, that environment was the nail salon. I don’t ask why, I just go with the flow!

I love a good cheesy casserole and happen to have a pretty popular Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole. As I reviewed that recipe, I figured it would be very adaptable for a chicken and rice dish. Simple ingredients you can easily find in your local grocery store, a reasonable prep and cooking time and a great meal for a busy weeknight!

Great Ingredients Make This Cheesy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole Recipe

This recipe has so many things that I love. Sautéed, tender chicken, a creamy sauce, cheesy rice and a pop of color (and taste!) from the broccoli florets.

For the chicken, I sautéed cut-up boneless chicken breasts. However, I could have used leftover chicken that I almost always have in my freezer. I buy rotisserie chickens, shred the meat and then freeze in one pound bags. It’s really great to have chicken ready on-demand!

For the rice, I used brown rice. It holds up really well, and is a little healthier than white rice as it is less processed. 

I am a firm believer in using the longer cooking rice. Minute rice or instant rice is certainly easier, but I find the taste and texture of the longer cooking rice to be so much better.

For the cheese, I used the standard shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar is my favorite). Great flavor, inexpensive and you can find it everywhere.

I think broccoli and cheese go great together (try in a fondue!). For ease of preparation, I used frozen, chopped broccoli. You can certainly use fresh broccoli, but I find this recipe works just as well with the frozen.

Finally, the soups to make the cream sauce. I don’t often use cream soups in recipes (think the standard Campbell’s soup) as the sodium tends to be higher than I like. But, this is a recipe where they just work. So if it works, don’t mess with it!

There are a few other ingredients you need and then you’re ready to go! An easy meal that will turn into a new family favorite!

How to Make This Casserole Ahead of Time to Serve Later

This recipe works well to make ahead and freeze before you bake it. Simply assemble the casserole per the recipe, but do not put into the baking dish.

I take the chicken, cheese, broccoli and rice mixture and put into an airtight container or ziplock bag. Then, I put into the freezer. It will stay good for 3-4 months.

When you are ready to bake, take the casserole out of the freezer and allow to thaw completely to room temperature. Empty the contents into your baking or casserole dish and follow the baking instructions.

Some have asked if you can just put the casserole mixture directly in a baking dish and freeze. It works just as well. I just don’t like losing a baking dish for whatever period of time!

Tips and Tricks

• If you’re short on time a rotisserie chicken is a good substitute for chicken breast. Just shred or chop it and add the cooked chicken to the casserole.
• Once the casserole has been assembled, it can be spooned into a zip loc bag and frozen until you’re ready to bake it. Once you’re ready to bake it, thaw completely and spoon into a 9×13 baking dish. It may need an extra 5 to 10 minutes of baking time until it’s browned and bubbly.
• This is a large casserole, so make sure you use a large mixing bowl to combine everything.
• If your family is smaller, you can divide the uncooked mixture, freeze half for later and bake the other half in a 9×9 baking dish.
• I like to use frozen chopped broccoli for the convenience.
• I love to serve this casserole with simple Field Greens Salad and these easy Parmesan Puffs.

Ingredients Needed to Make this Cheesy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Boneless chicken breasts – You can substitute cut-up or shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Onion – I prefer red onion, but any onion that you have on hand will work.
• Garlic
• Butter 
• Cooked rice – I have made this with both white rice and brown rice and both work equally well.
• Frozen chopped broccoli – You can use fresh broccoli, but I find the frozen chopped broccoli is so much easier to work with in this recipe.
• Salt 
• Black pepper
• Cream of mushroom soup
• Cream of chicken soup
• Sour cream – Regular or lite both work for this recipe.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese – I prefer sharp over mild because the flavor stands out more.
• Dried thyme – Fresh thyme is a good substitution.

How to Make Cheesy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole

• Cut chicken breasts into bite size chunks.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Melt 2 tbsp of butter in the pan.
• Sauté chicken until browned and cooked through.
• Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• Melt 1 tbsp butter in pan and add onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Remove from pan and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine soups, sour cream and final 2 tbsp butter, melted.
• Add thyme and stir in.
• Stir in cheese.
• Add the chicken, onion / garlic mixture, broccoli and cooked rice, mixing well to combine.
• Spoon into a 9×13 baking dish.
• Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until brown and bubbly.

ENJOY!