Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Few things say home like a bubbling creamy rice casserole! This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the definition of comfort, packed with seasoned chicken, tender broccoli, and rice…all tossed in a creamy sauce made from scratch.

Everyone, kids included, love this rice casserole for dinner! And it’s a great way to sneak in some broccoli without anyone complaining. Definitely a win-win!

The Most Comforting Rice Casserole

Every spoonful of this chicken broccoli rice casserole will make you feel right at home. It’s like my Creamy Chicken and Rice, but extra cozy!

What I love most about this recipe is the homemade creamy sauce. It’s incredibly easy to make and skips that canned condensed soup flavor. The sauce is thickened with flour and made with evaporated milk, giving it a really smooth, rich, and creamy texture. A few tips to start:

• Start with cooked rice. Remember to cook the rice according to package directions prior. Leftover rice also works great here.
• Use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-shedded cheese comes with added starches that can make the sauce taste gritty.

You can even prep ahead all the components and bake later, making dinner time a breeze!

Before we get into how to make this chicken broccoli rice casserole…take a look at how smooth and creamy it is. And that cheese pull? Dreamy!

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken breast: You can also use boneless chicken thighs, diced.
• Cooked rice: I used cooked long grain rice, but other kinds like brown rice or basmati work well too.
• Fresh broccoli florets: These will need to be partially cooked first and then finished as it bakes. More on this below.
• Evaporated milk: It has about 60% of the water removed, providing a rich, creamy consistency without the high fat of heavy cream or the “wateriness” of regular milk.
• Aromatics: Diced onions and minced garlic.
• Better Than Bouillon: I LOVE using this to add flavor to the creamy sauce. I’d highly recommend it!
• Seasonings and spices: Garlic powder, onion powder Italian seasoning, salt, pepper.
• Colby Jack cheese: I always recommend grating your own cheese, as it tastes much better and melts easier than pre-shredded from a bag.
• 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 to cook the chicken, unsalted butter for the sauce base.

Substitutions and Variations

• Fresh broccoli: You can use frozen broccoli, but it will lack that vibrant green color. Let it thaw and pat it dry well first so the extra moisture doesn’t turn your casserole into a soggy mess.
• Shortcut: Use rotisserie chicken and season it extra well!
• Rice: For even better flavor, use your favorite boxed rice flavors. By the way, my garlic butter rice makes a delicious base!
• Evaporated milk: Substitute with half-and-half, but add a little more flour to the onions. Don’t use heavy cream, it will be too thick since we’re already using flour.
• Cheese: For color contrast, yellow cheddar cheese works great.

Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, as always.

Step 1 | Cook rice and chicken

Cook the rice: 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

Build the flavor foundation: Do not wipe clean, these browned bits pack tons of flavor! Melt 4 tablespoons butter and sauté diced onions for 6 minutes. Then, stir in minced garlic and Better than Bouillon for another 1-2 minutes until it smells really good.

Make it creamy: Stir in flour to coat, then, add chicken broth, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add the evaporated milk, and season with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Quick Tip: Let the flour cook for 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.

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. Tightly cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, then bake uncovered for 5-8 more minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

Let cool slightly and serve your chicken broccoli rice casserole while the cheese is still very cheesy!

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.

More Comforting Dinner Casseroles

Need more comforting family dinners? Try my Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice. Anything with rice, please! Happy cooking!