Description
A comforting Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole featuring tender chicken, fresh broccoli, creamy soup, and cheese baked to perfection with a crunchy cracker topping. Perfect for a hearty family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 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. Cream of Chicken Soup, condensed
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, separated
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 and Prepare Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Cook Chicken: Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat until melted. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Cook Rice: In the same pot, add chicken broth, olive oil, and uncooked rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot tightly and cook for 6 minutes.
- Add Broccoli and Continue Cooking: Add the fresh broccoli florets to the pot. Replace the cover and cook for 9 more minutes, until the rice is fully cooked and there is no remaining liquid. If rice is not fully cooked, continue simmering covered for an additional 5 minutes.
- Rest Rice Mixture: Keep the pot covered and remove it from heat. Let the rice and broccoli mixture stand for 10 minutes without stirring to allow any stuck rice on the bottom to release.
- Combine Casserole Ingredients: Stir the cooked chicken, condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, optional dried thyme and garlic powder, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese into the rice and broccoli mixture until well combined.
- Transfer and Bake: Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheddar cheese evenly on top. Cover the dish and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Add Topping and Finish Baking: In a small bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle the cracker topping evenly over the casserole. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the topping is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve: Remove casserole from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your hearty Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole!
Notes
- Using Frozen Broccoli: 2 cups of frozen broccoli (and/or cauliflower) can be used as a substitute for fresh broccoli. Thaw and pat dry before adding. Since frozen broccoli is already blanched, consider steaming it for 5 minutes to achieve a softer texture in the casserole.
- Cheddar Cheese: Shred your own cheddar cheese from a block for the best melting quality. Extra sharp yellow cheddar works well. Avoid aged or crystallized cheeses as they do not melt properly.
- Substitute Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup: For a fresher alternative, try making your own cream of chicken soup instead of using canned.
- Make-Ahead Options: Assemble casserole and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking; allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking and add 15 minutes to baking time. For freezing, assemble without baking, freeze, thaw 24 hours in fridge before baking, then bake adding 15 minutes to baking time. Add cracker topping during the last 10 minutes of baking in all cases.
- Rice Cooking: This recipe is optimized for white long grain rice; adjust liquid and cooking time if using a different rice variety.
