Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Sauteed chicken pairs up with sweet garlic, caramelized onions and plenty of rice and broccoli in this simple casserole recipe. The creamy cheesy sauce is really good and then to top it off you have a buttery, crispy topping.

There’s no canned soup in this recipe, like with a lot of other casseroles, but it’s worth the extra effort because the finished dish tastes incredible. Even a beginner cook should find this a breeze to prepare since there are no strange ingredients or complicated steps to deal with.

It’s worth using good quality cheese, shredding your own rather than starting with pre-shredded cheese, and you can sub brown rice for the white rice if you prefer it. You can also add other vegetables or try panko breadcrumbs, Italian style breadcrumbs or even cornflakes on top to really put your own individual stamp on it!

Why You’ll Love the Recipe

This gorgeous casserole is filling, hearty and truly delicious, offering so much wonderful flavor. Leftovers heat up well too so you can enjoy this for lunch the following day too. 

How to Serve It

Serve this hot when it’s finished cooking. You can serve it as it is or add some more veggies to the plate if you want, or even some garlic bread. 

Can You Make It Ahead?

Yes, you can prepare it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it refrigerated. Don’t add the topping until just before baking though, and remember to bring it to room temperature for about 40 minutes before baking it.

Variations and Substitutions

You can add other vegetables to this, such as carrots, mushrooms and zucchini for example. If you’re using frozen broccoli in place of fresh, just make sure it’s completely thawed and patted dry with paper towels before use, otherwise it will make the casserole watery. To make the casserole low carb, omit the rice. 

Ingredients needed:

• Unsalted butter
• Uncooked long-grain white rice
• Broccoli florets
• Salt
• Minced garlic cloves 
• All-purpose flour
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Milk
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Water
• Onion 
• Dried thyme leaves
• Chicken breast
• Dried marjoram
• Onion powder
• Shredded sharp cheddar 
• Crushed ritz crackers
• Melted butter

How to make Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over a moderate heat, then saute the onions in there for 2 minutes.

Push the onions to one side and add the chicken, cooking until golden brown all over.

You can cook the chicken in batches if need be.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute, stirring all the time, then transfer the garlic and onions on to a plate.

Add the water, salt, rice, and remaining unsalted butter to a pan and heat until boiling, then cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until there’s no water left in the pan.

Steam or microwave the broccoli until tender.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Combine the 4 tablespoons of melted butter with the flour in a pan and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, whisking all the time.

Add the onion powder, red pepper, thyme and marjoram, and then gradually whisk in the milk and broth, alternating between them.

Keep cooking and whisking until slightly thickened.

Turn the heat down and mix in 1¼ cups of the cheese.

Add the chicken, broccoli and rice.

Spoon half of this mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

Top with ½ cup of cheese, followed by the remaining chicken mixture and the rest of the cheese.

Combine the melted butter with the crackers and sprinkle this over the casserole.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

This delicious casserole pairs succulent chicken with rice, broccoli and a rich, creamy cheese sauce. It’s a winning dish that everyone will rave about.

Storage Instructions

Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight and reheat in the microwave.

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