Few things say “home” like a bubbling creamy casserole. This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the definition of comfort, packed with seasoned chicken, tender broccoli, and creamy rice.
It’s quick to prepare and tastes infinitely better than the canned stuff. It’s a family favorite for sure. I also love the flexibility, prep it ahead or freeze for later!
The best part of this cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe is the homemade creamy sauce! It is made from scratch and is so much tastier than the canned soups other recipes rely on. Creamy, smooth, and really delicious!
Because the chicken, broccoli, and rice cook separately, they can all be prepped ahead, which makes assembling quick and easy later. My garlic butter rice also makes a delicious base for this chicken broccoli rice casserole.
For more similar rice and chicken favorites, try my Creamy Chicken and Rice or One Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice next!
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Make-ahead friendly. You can either prep all the components for the chicken broccoli rice casserole ahead, or assemble and bake later, making dinner time a breeze!
- Pure comfort food. You can’t get any better than baked creamy, cheesy goodness! Every spoonful makes you feel right at home.
- Kids love it. Who doesn’t love broccoli covered in cheese?!
Ingredient Notes
I included a few ingredient notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful!
- Chicken breast: You can also use boneless chicken thighs, diced.
- Garlic powder, Italian seasoning: Seasoning the chicken generously is what makes it so delicious!
- Long grain rice: To cook long grain rice, the ratio of water to rice is 1.5 cups for 1 cup. Use a rice cooker or on the stovetop. Or follow package directions if using a different type of rice. You can also use leftover rice, or other types of rice, such as brown rice.
- Fresh broccoli florets: These will need to be partially cooked first and then finished as it bakes. More on this below.
- Colby Jack cheese: I always recommend grating your own cheese, as it tastes much better and melts easier than pre-shredded from a bag. Substitutions are cheddar or anything similar in texture and flavor.
- Diced onions and minced garlic: Aromatics that provide so much extra flavor to the creamy sauce.
- Canned evaporated milk: Adds amazing creaminess! I’d highly recommend using canned evaporated milk rather than regular milk to keep it extra rich.
- Better Than Bouillon: I love using this to add flavor to the sauce. It blends right into a broth.
- All-purpose flour and chicken broth: The flour helps to thicken the sauce and the broth is the liquid needed to make the sauce.
- Other: Olive oil, unsalted butter, salt and pepper.
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Key Technique: Par-Cooking Broccoli
Because the chicken broccoli rice casserole bakes for a relatively short time, you want your broccoli to be partially cooked beforehand. Here are three easy ways to do it:
- Steam: Place in a steamer basket over boiling water for 5 minutes until bright green and just crisp tender.
- Microwave: Place florets in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes.
- Blanch: Drop into boiling water for 3 minutes, then immediately run it through cold water to stop the cooking process.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe comes together in components, which ensures every bite is perfectly cooked. Let’s make it!
Step 1 | Cook rice and chicken
Cook rice: First things first, preheat the oven to 375°F. Cook 1 cup of uncooked rice according to package directions to yield about 3 cups of cooked rice. Or follow package directions.
Cook chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through and golden, seasoning with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 2 | Make the creamy sauce
In the same pan, melt butter and sauté onions 6-7 minutes until softened. Then, add minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in flour to coat. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring to dissolve the flour, as well as the Better than Bouillon. Add the evaporated milk and bring to a simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3 | Par-cook broccoli
Meanwhile, cut broccoli into medium-sized florets evenly. Steam broccoli florets for 5 minutes until crisp tender (or microwave). They will finish cooking in the oven.
Step 4 | Assemble and bake
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked chicken, par-cooked broccoli, cooked rice, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, and the prepared creamy sauce. Stir until evenly combined. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5-8 more minutes until bubbly. Let cool slightly and serve your chicken broccoli rice casserole while the cheese is still melty!
Tips for Success
- Don’t overcook the broccoli. It will finish cooking in the oven, so par-cook it for about 4 minutes in the steamer basket of boiling water. You want it crisp tender before baking so it doesn’t turn to mush.
- Prep things at the same time. To make the process smooth, start your rice first (it will take 20 minutes). While it cooks, you can cook the chicken and make the sauce. Steam the broccoli last so it stays bright green.
- Use freshly shredded cheese. Store-bought pre-shredded cheese contains added ingredients that prevent it from melting smoothly. For that creamy and smooth sauce, use a box grater or food processor to grate the cheese.
- Season lightly. The broth and cheese add salt, so taste your sauce before adding too much extra salt.
- Shortcut: You can use rotisserie chicken, seasoned, in a pinch.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but the texture may be too soft. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry really well, otherwise it will get soggy. There’s no need to steam it, as frozen broccoli already comes pre-cooked.
You can, but add another teaspoon of flour so it thickens well.
You can! Cook according to package directions and assemble the casserole as directed.
No, the cream sauce is made from scratch. This gives it a much more delicious and a homemade taste.
Make Ahead Instructions and Freezing
Prep ahead: You can cook the sauce, rice, chicken, and broccoli up to 1-2 days in advance. Store in separate containers in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Assemble ahead, bake later: Make sure the sauce, chicken, the broccoli, and the rice are completely cooled first before mixing. Let the casserole sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking, and add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
Freezing: Once completely cooled, transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
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Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Equipment
- box grater for the cheese
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts - diced
- Olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Creamy sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion - small-diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth - plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon - plus more to taste
- 12 ounces canned evaporated milk - equiv to 1 ½ cups
- Salt and pepper - to taste
For the rest of the casserole:
- 3 cups cooked long grain rice - see notes
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 2 cups freshly shredded colby jack cheese - plus more to taste
Instructions
- Rice: If you haven't yet, cook the rice according to package directions. Note: To make 3 cups of cooked long grain rice, you need about 1 cup of uncooked rice.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook chicken: In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden brown until fully cooked through, seasoning with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper as it cooks. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Start the creamy sauce: In the same pan (do not wipe clean), melt 4 tablespoons butter and sauté diced onions for 6-7 minutes until softened. Then, add minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Finish the creamy sauce: Add flour, stirring to coat. Then, gradually add chicken broth, stirring to dissolve the flour, as well as the Better than Bouillon. Stir in the evaporated milk and bring to a simmer, and continue cooking over low heat until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Par-cook broccoli: Meanwhile, steam broccoli florets for just 5 minutes until just crisp tender (can also use the microwave, see notes below). The broccoli will finish cooking in the oven, but we need to give it a head start.
- Combine: Into the same bowl with the chicken, add the par-cooked broccoli, the cooked 3 cups of rice, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Next, add the prepared creamy sauce into the bowl, and stir until evenly combined.
- Assemble and bake: Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and finish baking for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted on top. Let cool slightly and enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken options: Boneless chicken breasts or thighs both work.
- Rice: 1 cup uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked rice total, which is what you need. Leftover rice works perfectly and helps speed things up.
- How to cook rice: To cook long grain rice, the ratio of water to rice is 1.5 cups for 1 cup. Bring to a low boil and cook, covered, for 20 minutes until fluffy.
- Broccoli should be partially cooked first:
- Steam: Steam florets for 4–5 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender.
- Microwave: Microwave florets with 2 Tbsp water, covered, for 2–3 minutes.
- Blanch: Boil for 3 minutes, then immediately transfer to cold water to stop cooking.
- Sauce consistency: The sauce should be thick and creamy before mixing. If needed, simmer 1–2 minutes longer.
- Cheese: Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother than pre-shredded and gives the best texture.
- Make ahead: Cook rice, chicken, and broccoli up to 2 days ahead and store separately in the fridge. Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking and add 10–15 minutes to bake time.
- Freezing: Freeze fully baked and cooled casserole for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through. Reheat larger portions covered in a 350°F oven until hot. Add a splash of broth or milk if needed to loosen the sauce.
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