Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole – Immaculate Bites

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Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole – This easy-peasy chicken broccoli rice casserole may just become your new favorite one-pan meal. Quick, healthy, and ridiculously delicious, it’s perfect for those crazy busy weeknights. 

Perfectly seasoned chicken comes together with tender broccoli and rice enveloped in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Both kids and adults love this recipe and are quick to devour it.

Aside from having all the food groups in one skillet (a huge win), it’s also filling and a money-saver. And did I mention it’s freezer-friendly? We have so much to love about throwing this super easy chicken broccoli rice casserole in the oven. 💞 

Diving into an insanely good chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole for a stress-free weeknight dinner

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole for a Weeknight Win!

When I say this comes together quickly, I mean it! Especially if you have some leftover rice to use. It only takes about 20 minutes to prepare and assemble the ingredients, and then you just pop it in the oven for 15-30 minutes. Casseroles are perfect for those days when you don’t have the energy to cook something elaborate but still want a home-cooked meal. 

Ingredient List

Precooked chicken, broccoli, and rice with some grated cheese makes an ideal casserole
  1. Chicken – It only takes 1-2 large chicken breasts cut up into bite-sized pieces to make this filling casserole. 
  2. Broccoli – Broccoli florets add color, flavor, and texture to this dish. Smothering it in a glorious cheesy sauce is perfect for getting the kids to enjoy eating their veggies.
  3. Aromatics – Garlic and onion add flavor and an enticing smell to this dish.
  4. Rice – You only need about a cup and a half of cooked rice for this, so it’s a fantastic way to use up leftovers when you have them.
  5. Cheese – Cheddar is my choice for this meal, but you can use any melty cheese you like. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Fontina, you name it. 🧀
  6. Sauce Ingredients – For the creamy sauce that binds everything together, you’ll need butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, and salt. Simple yet delicious!

How to Make Chicken, Rice, and Broccoli Casserole

Sear the meat, make the roux, and assemble

Prep the Ingredients

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃).
  • Season the chicken cubes with salt, followed by salt-free Cajun Creole seasoning. Stir until thoroughly seasoned.
  • Heat oil in a skillet. Then, add the chicken, cooking for 3-5 minutes. (Photo 1)
  • Saute Aromatics – Next, add the minced garlic and stir for about a minute, followed by the chopped onion. Cook until onions wilt, for about 4 more minutes. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
  • Roux – In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, add the butter. Whisk in the flour as soon as the butter melts. Continue whisking until the butter fully absorbs the flour, then cook for about a minute. (Photo 2)
  • Sauce – Slowly add the chicken broth while whisking, and follow with the milk. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low so it simmers gently and thickens into a cream sauce. It takes 6-8 minutes. (Photo 3)
Bake until heated through and bubbling hot

Bake

  • Assemble – Turn off the heat and stir in the chicken, rice, broccoli, and ½ cup cheese. Stir well, then add Creole seasoning and salt. Adjust seasonings to your liking, then top with the remaining cheese. (Photos 4-5)
  • Bake, uncovered, at 350℉ (175℃) for 15-30 minutes or until heated through. (Photo 6)
  • Serve – Allow the casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes so no one burns their mouth on the cheese, and then serve hot.
A pan of chicken rice broccoli casserole with a ladle to serve

Recipe Variations

  1. Use other vegetables. Feel free to add carrots, peas, corn, or any other veggies you like. 
  2. Try another meat. You could use ground chicken, ground turkey, cut-up pork chops, or even shrimp.
  3. Experiment with carbs. Instead of rice, try egg noodles or your favorite pasta. Even quinoa, brown rice, or another grain would taste wonderful!
  4. Chicken broccoli rice casserole crockpot version. Set it and forget it in your slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours or 2-3 hours on high.

Notes & Tips

  1. Add milk and chicken broth slowly while stirring constantly. That will keep the sauce from forming lumps.
  2. When you stir the flour into the melted butter, give it a couple of minutes to absorb. That also helps prevent a lumpy sauce.
  3. Is your sauce thick enough? An easy way to gauge this is if the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon enough to create a path through it with your finger.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Cook this in a big batch in advance, let it cool, and then transfer it to a freezer-safe dish. Cover it tightly and freeze. Thaw it overnight in the fridge so you can reheat it for lunches and dinners throughout the week.

You can also assemble this dish, but hold off baking it until the next day. Then pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes when you’re ready to serve it. 😅

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve chicken broccoli rice casserole hot, fresh out of the oven. Refrigerate leftover casserole for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Reheat them in the oven set to 350℉ (175℃) until warmed through or in the microwave. 

What Goes With Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

I like to serve this casserole with pull-apart garlic bread rolls and a quick wedge salad. Complete your meal with some sweet tea to drink and sweet potato pie for dessert. 😋

More Weeknight Winners to Try

  1. Stir Fry Chicken
  2. Shrimp Mac and Cheese
  3. Ground Beef and Cabbage
  4. Slow Cooker Beef Stew
  5. 4-Ingredient Oven Baked Pork Chops

This post was originally published in September 2017 and has been updated with additional tips and beautifully tempting photos

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

This easy-peasy chicken broccoli rice casserole may just become your new favorite one-pan meal. Quick, healthy, and ridiculously delicious, it’s perfect for those crazy busy weeknights. 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃).

  • Season chopped chicken with salt and salt-free Cajun Creole seasoning (or use the spice mix with salt and omit the salt). Stir until the chicken is completely covered.
  • Heat oil in a skillet, add the chicken, and cook for 3-5 minutes.

  • Add the onion and stir for about a minute. Then add the minced garlic and cook until the onions wilt (about 4 minutes). Remove and set aside.

  • Add the butter to a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. As soon as butter melts, whisk in the flour. Continue whisking until flour is thoroughly mixed with butter, and cook for about a minute.

  • Slowly add chicken broth, followed by the milk, stirring continually so no lumps form. Bring to barely a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and simmer gently until it thickens into a cream sauce (6-8 minutes).

  • An easy way to gauge this is when the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, and your finger creates a path when swiping it.

  • Turn off the heat and stir in the rice, broccoli, ½ cup cheese, and the chicken. Adjust the Creole seasoning and salt to taste. Top with remaining cheese.

  • Bake, uncovered, at 350℉ (175℃) for 15-30 minutes or until heated through and the cheese melts.

  • Serve hot.

Tips & Notes:

  • Omit the salt if using a spice mix that has salt in it already.
  • Add milk and chicken broth slowly while stirring constantly. That will keep the sauce from forming lumps.
  • When you stir the flour into the melted butter, give it a couple of minutes to absorb. That also helps prevent a lumpy sauce.
  • Is your sauce thick enough? An easy way to gauge this is if the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon enough to create a path through it with your finger.
  • Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 240g| Calories: 593kcal (30%)| Carbohydrates: 49g (16%)| Protein: 23g (46%)| Fat: 35g (54%)| Saturated Fat: 18g (113%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g| Monounsaturated Fat: 9g| Trans Fat: 0.4g| Cholesterol: 89mg (30%)| Sodium: 951mg (41%)| Potassium: 610mg (17%)| Fiber: 5g (21%)| Sugar: 6g (7%)| Vitamin A: 2265IU (45%)| Vitamin C: 108mg (131%)| Calcium: 542mg (54%)| Iron: 2mg (11%)



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