Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole - this casserole is full on comfort food! It is full of seasoned chicken, broccoli, cheese, and basmati rice. By precooking the ingredients on the stove, they come together quickly in the oven.
Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
There are a lot of variations of chicken broccoli casserole out there, but we're partial to this one. I like that it includes cheese, chicken, broccoli, and rice. I don't fee like I have to make anything separately as a side and it's a full meal-in-one.
It's creamy, cheesy, and everything you want in a comfort food casserole. It does require a few steps on the stove before baking, but those quick steps help to avoid a lot of problems that come with casseroles putting all of the raw ingredients in.
Is Chicken Rice and Broccoli Good for You?
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is packed full of protein and broccoli has a ton of vitamins your body will love!
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole Ingredients
Instead of using a bunch of cheese on the inside of this casserole, we reserve a small amount for the top and opt for condensed cheddar soup in the inside. You can also use an alternative if you're not a fan of condensed soups. We don't mind them in our house!
- Butter - You don't have to use rice, but I feel toasting the rice in a little butter before cooking brings out better flavor overall.
- Basmati Rice - You can swap this for whatever rice happens to be your favorite. Basmati just happens to be ours!
- Chicken Broth - We cook our rice in chicken broth to add extra flavor and keep it from being bland.
- Chicken Breast - This recipe requires boneless, skinless, but you can use either breasts or tenderloins as they'll be diced into bite size pieces.
- Garlic & Herb Seasoning - I like to use homemade, but store-bought works great too.
- Broccoli - I know that frozen seems easier, but I don't recommend it. I've tried it with both and find that frozen ends up mushy by the end.
- Cream of Chicken - I state 98% fat free, but you can use either kind. If you aren't a fan of canned soups, you can use alternatives.
- Condensed Cheddar Soup - I use the Healthy Request kind from Campbell's because it's point friendly, but either is fine.
- Milk - I use 2%, but you could probably use whatever you have on hand. I haven't personally tried it with dairy alternatives.
- Pepper & Garlic - These seasonings will be the perfect additional to the casserole. I don't add any salt because I find it to be salty enough from the other ingredients.
- Shredded Cheese - I often use 2% Mild Cheddar, but any mixed cheese is fine. You can also omit it entirely if you'd prefer.
What Kind of Rice Should You Use for Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole?
I find that basmati rice works the best, but Jasmine also works well.
Do You Cook Rice Before Putting in Casserole?
It’s best to cook the rice beforehand so that it’s cooked thoroughly.
Do You Have to Cook Broccoli Before Putting it in a Casserole?
In this recipe, you will need to cook your broccoli first before putting it in the casserole. If you use frozen broccoli that has been thawed, you do not need to cook it before putting it in the casserole.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
(full recipe instructions with measurements and printable card are at the end of this post)
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add butter. Once butter has melted add in the rice and toast briefly (about 1-2 minutes), stirring frequently. Pay attention as it can burn easily.
- Add in chicken broth, cover and cook for about 12 minutes. Just until rice is cooked and all broth has been absorbed.
- In a separate skillet, add your cubed chicken and season with the garlic & herb seasoning.
- Cook until cooked through and no longer pink. Turn off heat and set aside.
- In a separate pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Once it comes to a strong boil, add the broccoli pieces and boil for 6 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken, condensed cheddar soup, pepper, garlic powder, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Add in the cooked rice, cooked chicken, and cooked broccoli. Stir until combined.
- Spread evenly into a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Rice Chicken Broccoli Casserole Make Ahead Tips
It freezes well and you could make ahead of time all the way up until baking and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before baking.
If freezing, I would recommend allowing it to thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
FAQs for Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
I aimed to make this recipe as WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) point friendly along with being lower calorie. It still has canned soups and butter. You could swap those out for your choice of alternative, but I love that it's a low WW point recipe.
I wouldn't. I know it's an extra step cooking it on the stove, but I've tried it both ways. I feel that you end up needing more liquid and more time when cooking it from raw inside of the casserole. It ends up messing with the rice and I find that cooking them separately on the stove yields the best results.
If you decide to use raw chicken, you will need to increase the cooking time. Be sure to cook it until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the middle of the chicken.
If you use frozen broccoli, be sure to thaw it completely first. If you leave it frozen, it will release water into the casserole and cause it not to thicken properly.
I don’t recommend replacing the cheddar cheese soup because you may not get the same result, but if you need to replace the cream of chicken soup, sour cream works well. It doesn’t have the same chicken flavor, but will help thicken the casserole in the same way cream of chicken soup does.
Each serving comes out to 249 calories each if you use the same ingredients I have. If you're following WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) it comes out to 6 points on Green and 5 points on Blue per serving.
Yes! It actually does very well being frozen and reheated. Sometimes I make mine on Sunday and put it in the freezer for later in the week.
Absolutely! If you're avoiding rice for any reason or would just like to lower the point value, cauliflower rice works great in this recipe.
What Do You Serve with Casserole?
The great thing about this casserole is that it’s great all on its own! No need to serve sides with it.
More Favorite Recipes to Try!
Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast - cut into 1" cubes
- 1 tbsp Garlic & herb seasoning
- 1 head fresh broccoli chopped into bit size pieces
- 1 can cream of chicken 98% fat free
- 1 can cheddar condensed soup
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ¼ - ½ cup shredded cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add butter. Once butter has melted add in the rice and toast briefly (about 1-2 minutes), stirring frequently. Pay attention as it can burn easily.
- Add in chicken broth, cover and cook for about 12 minutes. Just until rice is cooked and all broth has been absorbed.
- In a separate skillet, add your cubed chicken and season with the garlic & herb seasoning.
- Cook until cooked through and no longer pink. Turn off heat and set aside.
- In a separate pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Once it comes to a strong boil, add the broccoli pieces and boil for 6 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken, condensed cheddar soup, pepper, garlic powder, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Add in the cooked rice, cooked chicken, and cooked broccoli. Stir until combined.
- Spread evenly into a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Kathy Melchiorre
How much rice
kara
Hi Kathy! As per the recipe card, it is 1 cup of basmati rice. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you enjoy!