Description
A comforting and creamy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole featuring tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and cheddar cheese all baked to perfection with a buttery Ritz cracker topping. This one-pot recipe is easy to prepare and perfect for a hearty family meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups white long grain rice uncooked
- 2-3 cups fresh broccoli florets uncooked
- 10.5 oz. Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Optional Seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Casserole Topping
- 1 cup Ritz crackers crushed
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the casserole once assembled.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. If using rotisserie chicken, this step can be skipped.
- Cook Chicken: In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. This step is not necessary for pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
- Cook Rice: To the same pot, add chicken broth, olive oil, and uncooked white rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook for 6 minutes.
- Add Broccoli: Add fresh broccoli florets to the pot, replace the cover, and cook for an additional 9 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and no liquid remains. If rice isn’t fully cooked, continue to simmer covered for up to 5 more minutes.
- Let Rice Stand: Remove the pot from heat and keep the cover on. Let the rice and broccoli stand for 10 minutes without stirring. This helps the rice release from the bottom for easier mixing.
- Mix Ingredients: Stir in the cooked chicken, condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, optional thyme and garlic powder if desired, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese into the rice and broccoli mixture.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly on top.
- Bake Casserole: Cover the casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to heat through and melt cheese.
- Prepare Topping: While baking, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and crush the Ritz crackers. Combine them to form the topping.
- Add Topping and Finish Baking: Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the topping.
- Rest and Serve: Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving to set and cool slightly for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Using Frozen Broccoli: You can substitute 2 cups of frozen broccoli or cauliflower. Thaw and pat dry before use. Consider steaming for about 5 minutes for a softer casserole texture.
- Cheddar Cheese: For best melting results, shred your own cheddar cheese from a block. Extra sharp cheddar such as Cracker Barrel works well. Avoid aged or crystallized cheese as they don’t melt smoothly.
- Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup: Consider making your own cream of chicken soup for a fresher homemade taste.
- Make-Ahead Option: This casserole can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen unbaked. Let come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking and increase baking time by 15 minutes. Add the cracker topping during the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Recipe Source: This recipe is featured in The Cozy Cookbook on page 178.
- Try also: Complement this dish with my Fried Rice Balls recipe for another cheesy broccoli delight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/6 of casserole)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
