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Cheesy on the outside, creamy and packed with rice, chicken, and broccoli on the inside, this Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the ULTIMATE weeknight dinner recipe. Topped with melty cheddar cheese, this homemade casserole packs comfort in every bite!

A white casserole dish with chicken broccoli and rice casserole topped with cheddar cheese on a white counter.
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Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole is a classic dinner recipe made entirely from scratch with wholesome ingredients and no canned soups! Each bite of this yummy casserole contains chicken, rice, broccoli, and a creamy cheesy sauce you just can’t get enough of!

If you are looking for other delicious casserole recipes for a quick weeknight meal why not also try my Cauliflower Pizza Casserole, Chicken Fajita Bake, and my Chicken and Potato Bake.

Table of Contents

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

  • All-in-one meal. With chicken, rice, and broccoli you hit all of the major food groups. This the the ultimate comfort food.
  • A creamy, cheesy sauce. The chicken, broccoli, and rice are coated in a deliciously addictive creamy sauce and topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Made from scratch. No canned cream of anything shows up in this filling and flavorful casserole.
  • One pot meal– Quick, easy and less dishes to clean up.

INGREDIENTS

  • Chicken
  • Chicken Spices- salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  • Olive Oil
  • Butter
  • Flour- All purpose
  • Casserole spices- black pepper, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  • Cream cheese
  • Long Grain Rice- Pre-cook the rice before baking. I use Jasmine rice.
  • Sharp cheddar cheese- Shredded and divided. Some for the sauce and some for topping.
  • Broccoli florets- Partially steamed. See notes for how to steam broccoli.
  • Chicken broth

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

  • Preheat– Set the oven to 375°F.
  • Prepare the chicken– Cut the chicken tenders into 1 inch bite sized pieces. Coat the chicken with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  • Cook chicken– In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden brown on the outside, flipping occasionally. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • Make the roux– In the same non-stick skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add flour, black pepper, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix well to create a smooth pasty mixture.
  • Melted butter, oil, spices, and flour in a silver skillet.
  • A stainless steel skillet with a creamy casserole sauce and a block of cream cheese.
  • A large silver skillet with creamy casserole sauce on a marble counter.
  • Make the casserole sauce– Gradually add in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to avoid any lumps. Mix until the sauce is nice and smooth. Then add in the cream cheese. Once the cream cheese melts into the sauce, simmer for about 2 minutes, whisking slowly until the sauce thickens up.
  • Add the cheese– Add in 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and mix. The cheese does not have to melt before moving on to the next step.
  • A silver skillet with a creamy sauce and a heaping pile of shredded cheddar cheese.
  • A silver skillet with a creamy, cheesy casserole sauce with a wire whisk on the right.
  • Stir casserole together– Add the steamed broccoli, chicken, and cooked rice. Mix everything together very well.
  • A silver skillet with a smooth creamy casserole sauce on the bottom and cooked rice, chicken, and broccoli on the top.
  • A silver skillet with chicken, broccoli, and rice in a sauce with a wooden spoon on a white counter.
  • Keep in skillet– At this point, if your skillet is oven safe, you can bake the cheesy chicken broccoli and rice casserole in the skillet. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
  • Transfer to baking dish– If you are transferring from the skillet to a baking dish, do so now. Transfer to a 9 X 13 baking dish. Top with the remainder of the cheddar cheese.
  • Bake– In a 375°F preheated oven, bake your chicken broccoli and rice casserole for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes and garnish with some fresh parsley.
  • A white casserole dish with chicken, broccoli, and rice in a sauce.
  • A white casserole dish with chicken broccoli rice casserole with cheddar cheese before baking.

RECIPE NOTES AND TIPS

  • If you like to add crumbs on top, add 1 tablespoon of melted butter to 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of the cheese before baking.
  • To make this dish vegetarian, omit the chicken and add more broccoli instead.
  • Taste test before you add more salt. The cheese adds salt to the dish as well.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken breast instead of chicken tenders. Leave adding the salt to the very end before transferring to the baking dish. This is because rotisserie chicken is usually salty and you may not need to add more salt.
  • Can use more or less cheese based on your preference.

FAQ’S

HOW TO STEAM BROCCOLI

To partially steam the broccoli, place in a microwave safe bowl with 1 cup of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

WHAT IS THE BEST RICE TO USE?

I use Jasmine rice in this casserole for a few reasons. Long grain rice, such as Jasmine, holds it’s shape better during the baking process. Shorter rice might loose it’s shape and become mushy during baking.

Pre-cooked rice is also important in this recipe. Uncooked rice will absorb the liquid in the sauce and dry out the dish.

CAN I MAKE THIS CASSEROLE AHEAD?

Yes, you can make this dish up to 2 days in advance. To make this casserole in advance simply follow the recipe until the baking part. Instead of baking, transfer the casserole to a 9X13 baking dish, cover and refrigerate.

When you are ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and let it sit out for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and then bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes.

CAN YOU USE FROZEN BROCCOLI?

Absolutely! Thaw and pat dry before adding into the cheesy chicken broccoli and rice casserole. You do not need to cook it before adding to the dish.

VARIATIONS TO CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

  • Make it vegetarian. Swap the chicken out for additional broccoli.
  • Use rotisserie chicken. Skip a cooking step and use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for quicker cooking time. Just leave adding the salt until the very end since rotisserie chicken tends to be salty.
  • Swap the white rice for brown rice. Make sure you cook the rice in advance before adding to the casserole.

LEFT OVERS

For any left overs, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

You can freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees when ready to serve. Add more cheese on top to get the crispy cheese topping.

OTHER DELICIOUS CHICKEN RECIPES

A scoop of chicken broccoli and rice casserole in a white baking dish.

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A white casserole dish with chicken broccoli and rice casserole topped with cheddar cheese on a white counter.
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5 from 2 votes

Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

By: Mariam Ezzeddine
This filling and flavorful Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole is an all in one dinner packed with chicken, broccoli, rice and a creamy cheesy sauce.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients 

Chicken

  • 1 lb. chicken tenders, cubed into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

Casserole Ingredients

  • 2 tbsps. butter
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ cup AP flour
  • 1 tsp. black pepper, or less per preference
  • ½ tsp. salt, or more to taste
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 2 cups cooked long grain rice, I used Jasmine rice
  • 2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
  • 3 cups broccoli florets, partially steamed (see notes)
  • 3 cups chicken broth

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  • Cut the chicken tenders into 1 inch bite sizes. Coat with the spices.
  • In a non-stick skillet, bring 1 tbsp. of olive oil to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until they are golden brown on the outside, flipping occasionally. This should about take 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, melt 2 tbsp. of butter along with 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Then add in the flour and spices, salt and mix well to obtain a smooth pasty mixture.
  • Gradually add in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to avoid any lumps. Mix until the sauce is nice and smooth. Then add in the cream cheese. Once the cream cheese dissolves, simmer for about two minutes, whisking slowly until the sauce thickens up.
  • Add in 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and mix. The cheese does not have to melt.
  • Add in the steamed broccoli (see notes on how to do that), chicken and cooked rice. Mix everything together very well.
  • *At this point, if your skillet is oven safe, you can bake the dish in it if you like, but first top with the remainder of the cheddar cheese.
  • If you are transferring to a baking dish, do so now. Transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with the remainder of the cheddar cheese.
  • Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes and garnish with some fresh parsley.

Notes

To partially steam the broccoli, place in a microware safe bowl with 1 cup of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
If you like to add crumbs on top, add 1 tbsp. of melted butter to 1 cup of panko crumbs and sprinkle on top of the cheese before baking.
If you’d like this dish without chicken, you add more broccoli instead.
Taste test before you add more salt. The cheese adds salt to the food.
Can use rotisserie chicken breast instead, but leave adding the salt to the very end before transferring to the baking dish. Rotisserie chicken is usually salty, and you may not need to add more salt.
Can use more cheese or less cheese, based on your preference.  

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1150mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 415mg | Iron: 2mg
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5 from 2 votes

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thanks for this recipe. Just wondering if adding pre-cooked rice wouldn’t overcook it? I’ve only ever used mine with uncooked, regular rice. Thanks!

    Reply