My chicken broccoli rice casserole is an easy dish loaded with creamy chicken sauce, tender chicken, broccoli, rice, and cheese flavors! All of the tasty ingredients are layered into a single casserole dish for an extra simple meal! It's a long-time family favorite casserole that works wonderfully for feeding a hungry crowd any night of the week!
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
My easy cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole has all the flavor of a delicious home-cooked meal packed in a single dish! The use of simple ingredients cuts back on both prep and cook time for a casserole that can be thrown together in under an hour.
With the rich, creamy chicken and cheese sauce, tender broccoli and chicken, and perfectly cooked rice, you don't need any sides! This is a recipe my family has been enjoying for years and it's just too good not to share!
An Easy Casserole That’s Great for Weeknight Dinners!
Jump to:
🥘 Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Ingredients
There are no crazy or hard-to-find ingredients in this easy recipe. You can make my chicken broccoli rice casserole with breadcrumbs or without breadcrumbs, it's good either way!
- Olive Oil - ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Chicken Breasts - 1 pound of boneless, skinless breasts or use boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into bite-size chunks.
- Seasoning - ½ a teaspoon of both salt & pepper (more or less to taste), ½ a teaspoon of onion powder, and ½ a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Long Grain White Rice - 1 cup of rice + 1¾ cup water or chicken broth.
- Broccoli Florets - 4 cups of broccoli florets. You may use frozen steamable broccoli in place of fresh. 10-16 ounces of frozen broccoli is the equivalent of 4 cups of fresh florets.
- Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup - 1 10.5-ounce can.
- Cheddar Cheese Condensed Soup - 1 10.5-ounce can.
- Milk - 1½ cups milk. I prefer whole milk, but any will do.
- Cheddar Cheese - 1 cup of shredded cheddar.
- Panko Breadcrumbs (optional) - ½ cup of plain Panko, regular breadcrumbs, Ritz crackers, or potato chips work as well.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
There's nothing too complicated here. You're going to need a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, a 9x13 baking dish, a rubber spatula, and a grater if you decide to add onion.
This hearty meal can easily serve the whole family as one 9x13 dish is about 8 servings!
Prepare The Ingredients
- Pan-fry chicken. In a large skillet with a fitted lid, heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add 1 pound of cut pieces of chicken breast (or thighs) and season generously with ½ teaspoon of both salt & pepper (more or less to taste), ½ teaspoon of onion powder, and ½ a teaspoon of garlic powder. Pan-fry the bite-size pieces of chicken until they are no longer pink inside, then remove from skillet and set aside.
- Cook rice. In the same skillet with the chicken pan juices, add 1 cup of white rice and stir. Then, add 1¾ cup of water or chicken broth. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook on low for 10 minutes.
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease your 9x13 baking pan or a 2.5-quart casserole dish, or coat with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add broccoli. Stir the 4 cups of broccoli florets in with the rice, return the lid, and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes on low heat.
- Make sauce. As the rice and broccoli cook, combine a 10.5-ounce can of cream of chicken soup with a 10.5-ounce can of cheddar cheese condensed soup and 1½ cups milk in your prepared baking dish. Stir in the cooked chicken, then add the rice and broccoli when it is done.
Bake and Cool
- Bake. Top the casserole with 1 cup of shredded cheddar and ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, if using. After that, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and golden.
- Cool and serve. Once the casserole is ready, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
This one-dish meal doesn't really require any sides! I sometimes offer up a basket of tasty cheese rolls if we are feeling extra hungry. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- This is a great recipe for using up leftovers! If you have any leftover rice, rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or any mildly-seasoned chicken laying around, feel free to use it!
- Add onion for extra flavor. If desired, you can finely mince or grate half of a medium-sized white or yellow onion and saute it with your chicken!
- Great for making ahead! This casserole freezes well and reheats like a dream. It is perfect for meal-prepping lunches and dinners!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Any leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3-4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months! Thaw frozen casserole in the fridge overnight
Reheating Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Reheat your leftovers in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) until heated through, about 20-30 minutes depending on how much casserole there is.
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
❓ FAQ
Yep! This simple casserole is a great make-ahead option for a quick and easy dinner! To make this casserole in advance, you can completely assemble the casserole (leaving off the breadcrumbs) and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.
You can also keep the assembled casserole in the freezer. Simply allow it to thaw out in the fridge overnight.
Using rotisserie chicken is a great way to make this recipe even simpler! Obviously, you'll skip the step of cooking the chicken and just prepare the rest of the recipe as directed!
Yes, you can swap out the white rice for brown rice. However, make sure to check the rice packaging as brown rice may be required to cook longer or use more liquid. Adjust the chicken broth or water accordingly.
😋 More Awesome Casseroles
- Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole - This all-in-one breakfast is a great casserole for serving the whole family a hearty breakfast!
- Ham and Potato Casserole - Enjoy this creamy and hearty casserole by itself or serve it as a side dish!
- Tater Tot Hamburger Casserole - This kid-friendly dish combines beef, veggies, and crispy tater tots!
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole - Golden cornbread is packed with a filling of seasoned ground beef and then topped with cheese!
- Tuna Noodle Casserole - Pasta, tuna, and peas are combined with a creamy cheese sauce for the ultimate comfort food!
- Doritos Chicken Casserole - Chicken, cream cheese, cheese, beans, and Doritos are combined for a wonderfully delicious meal that the entire family will enjoy!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📋 Recipe
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole (Super Cheesy Family Favorite Dinner!)
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless breasts or use boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into bite size chunks)
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup long grain white rice (+ 1¾ cup water or chicken broth)
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 10.5 oz cream of chicken condensed soup
- 10.5 oz cheddar cheese condensed soup
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs (optional, plain)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet (that has a fitted lid) with the olive oil to medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the cut pieces of chicken breasts or thighs and season generously. Pan fry the bite-size pieces of chicken until they are no longer pink inside, then remove from skillet and set aside.½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 lb chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Use the same skillet (with the pan juices from frying the chicken). Add the rice and stir it into the juices, then stir in the water or chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook on low for 10 minutes.1 cup long grain white rice
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease your 9x13 baking pan or a 2.5 quart casserole dish, or coat with non-stick cooking spray.
- Stir in the broccoli florets, return the cover, and continue cooking an additional 5-7 minutes on low heat.4 cups broccoli florets
- While your rice and broccoli is cooking, combine the cream of chicken and cheddar cheese condensed soups with milk in your prepared baking dish. Stir the cooked chicken in with the sauce then finally, add the cooked rice and broccoli.10.5 oz cream of chicken condensed soup, 10.5 oz cheddar cheese condensed soup, 1 ½ cups milk
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese and optional Panko breadcrumbs then bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and golden.1 cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving, about 5 minutes.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- This is one of those recipes that is ideal for using leftover ingredients. You can speed this along if you have leftover rice, rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or any chicken leftovers with mild seasoning.
- The frozen steamable broccoli is another time-saver ingredient to swap for fresh broccoli.
- Use 10-16 ounces of frozen broccoli to substitute for the 4 cups fresh broccoli florets.
- If desired, finely dice or grate about half of a medium-sized white or yellow onion and saute the onion with the chicken.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Debbie says
My husband wanted broccoli rice casserole with chicken. After looking at several recipes, I decided this looked delicious. I didn’t have the cheddar soup, so I made a few changes. First I sautéed 10 oz. of mushrooms (it was a use or lose decision) in 1 Tbsp of butter, a drizzle of wild mushroom and sage olive oil, and a splash or two of white wine. Once these were softened, I removed them from the pan and put the chicken in to sear it with a little more olive oil along with the spices in the recipe. I also added 1/4 cup white wine to the soup/milk mixture. I followed the rest of the recipe except for using Parmesan cheese with the panko crumbs. We will definitely be making this again. Thanks for an awesome start!!
Renee says
I was looking for a leftover rotisserie chicken recipe... Found this but I didn't have a can of cheddar cheese so I sub with a packet of Velveeta cheese. Then remembered I had no milk but I had instant dry milk- so I mixed up a cups worth & to add the creamy taste that it would lack from having real milk I added a good couple of spoons of sour cream. For my veggies I had frozen Japanese mix veggies (Broc, green beans, onions,& mushrooms) I threw in a couple of hand fulls of. I'm hoping it all turns out! Next time I'd like to follow exactly although my best dishes are jus based on others recipes! Thanks for getting our dinner goin! Crossing my fingers it turns out!