Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole from Scratch
Chicken broccoli rice casserole made from scratch with seared chicken, long grain rice, and a real sharp cheddar sauce. No canned soup, one 9×13 pan.
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Chicken broccoli rice casserole is the dinner my kids ask for by name, and this version skips the can of cream soup entirely. The rice cooks in seasoned chicken broth, the sauce is whole milk and real sharp cheddar, and it all goes into one 9×13 pan under a layer of cheese that browns in the oven.
The rice is the part that goes wrong for most people. Uncooked rice stirred straight into a casserole needs close to an hour under foil before it turns tender, and this pan only bakes for 30 minutes. Rice on that short a timeline comes out crunchy. So the rice simmers on the stove first, covered, for 15 minutes, then sits off the heat another 10. It comes out about 90 percent done and finishes in the oven.
Broccoli goes on top of the rice while it simmers, not stirred into it. It steams above the grains for the last 8 minutes and stays bright green with a little bite, instead of going olive-drab and stringy the way it does when it boils down in the liquid.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
- No canned soup anywhere in it. Chicken broth, whole milk, parmesan, and sharp cheddar do the work, so it tastes like cheese instead of tasting like a can.
- Chicken, rice, and a vegetable in one pan. It’s a whole dinner in a 9×13, which means there’s no side dish to think about.
- Broccoli that still looks like broccoli. Steaming it over the rice for 8 minutes keeps it green and crisp-tender all the way through the bake.
- Build it a day early. The entire pan can be assembled ahead and slid into the oven straight from the fridge.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Ingredients
Shred the cheddar off a block. Bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch to keep it from clumping in the bag, and that coating is exactly what makes a baked cheese layer come out grainy instead of smooth and stretchy.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 5 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 lb), cut into bite-size pieces
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (8 oz block), divided
Recipe Variations
- Use 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breast. Skip the searing step, stir the chicken in with the milk and cheese, and add 5 minutes to the covered bake so it heats through to 165°F.
- Swap the chicken for 1 pound of ground turkey. Brown it with the onion and cook it to 165°F, the same temperature chicken needs, since turkey is poultry too.
- Use frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh. Scatter 12 ounces on top of the rice still frozen for the last 8 minutes of the simmer, and pour off any water that pools before you stir everything together.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Season and sear the chicken: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Toss the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and the paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 6-7 minutes, turning the pieces, until browned outside and 165°F on a thermometer. Move it to a plate.
- Build the base: Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds more.
- Simmer the rice: Add the rice, chicken broth, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir once, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer 7 minutes, then scatter the broccoli over the top without stirring, cover again, and simmer 8 minutes more.
- Rest off the heat: Take the pot off the burner and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Don’t lift the lid. The rice finishes absorbing the last of the broth during those minutes.
- Stir it together: Uncover and fold in the milk, parmesan, 1 cup of the cheddar, and the cooked chicken along with any juices on the plate. It should look loose and saucy, not dry.
- Fill the pan: Spread everything into the greased 9×13 dish and scatter the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted with browned spots and the edges bubble. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes. Build it through the cheese topping, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake it straight from the fridge covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10, until the center reads 165°F.
Can I Use Brown Rice?
Not on these times. Brown rice needs about 45 minutes of simmering and roughly a half cup more liquid. Cook it separately per the package, then skip the simmer and rest steps: steam the broccoli on its own for 4 minutes and stir 3 1/2 cups of cooked brown rice in with the milk and cheese.
Why Did My Casserole Come out Dry?
Usually the rice sat uncovered too long before it went in the oven, or the pan baked uncovered the whole time. Keep the foil on for the first 20 minutes, and if the mixture looks tight when you stir it, add another splash of milk.
Can I Use Leftover Cooked Rice?
Yes. Skip the simmer and rest steps, steam the broccoli separately for 4 minutes, and stir 3 1/2 cups of cooked rice in with the milk and cheese. Add 1/4 cup of extra broth. Rice that’s been sitting in the fridge is drier and firmer than rice coming straight off the stove, so it soaks up liquid in the oven instead of loosening the sauce.
What Temperature Does the Chicken Need to Reach?
165°F, measured in the thickest piece. Pieces cut to 1 inch hit it in 6 to 7 minutes in a hot pan, and they hold that heat through the bake.
Cooking Tips
- Cut the chicken into pieces of about the same size. Uneven chunks mean the small ones are dry and stringy by the time the big ones reach 165°F, and nothing later in the pan fixes that.
- Leave the lid alone during the 10-minute rest. Every peek lets out the steam that’s finishing the grains, and that’s how you end up with a crunchy layer at the bottom of the pot.
- Warm the milk for 30 seconds in the microwave before it goes in. Cold milk poured over hot rice drops the temperature and the cheese melts sluggishly and in streaks instead of smoothly.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Freeze baked and cooled portions up to 2 months, wrapped in plastic and then foil. The rice softens a little on thawing, which is normal. Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best texture.
To reheat: Warm covered at 350°F for 20-25 minutes with a splash of milk or broth stirred in, until it reaches 165°F. In the microwave, cover it and stir halfway through.
How to Serve Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is a complete dinner on its own, so a green salad with vinaigrette or a plate of sliced tomatoes is all it needs beside it. Warm dinner rolls or garlic bread turn it into a proper Sunday plate. It also travels well to a new neighbor or a family with a new baby, since it reheats better than most casseroles do.
Loved This Recipe?
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole feeds six out of one pan in about an hour and a half, and there’s no can opener anywhere in it.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole from Scratch
Equipment
- Instant-Read Thermometer 165°F, checked in two spots rather than one.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 5 cups fresh broccoli florets about 1 lb, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar 8 oz block, divided
Instructions
- Season and sear the chicken: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Toss the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and the paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 6-7 minutes, turning the pieces, until browned outside and 165°F on a thermometer. Move it to a plate.
- Build the base: Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds more.
- Simmer the rice: Add the rice, chicken broth, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir once, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer 7 minutes, then scatter the broccoli over the top without stirring, cover again, and simmer 8 minutes more.
- Rest off the heat: Take the pot off the burner and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Don’t lift the lid. The rice finishes absorbing the last of the broth during those minutes.
- Stir it together: Uncover and fold in the milk, parmesan, 1 cup of the cheddar, and the cooked chicken along with any juices on the plate. It should look loose and saucy, not dry.
- Fill the pan: Spread everything into the greased 9×13 dish and scatter the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted with browned spots and the edges bubble. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you made this, leave a star rating down in the comments. It takes about ten seconds, and it’s how other cooks decide whether a recipe is worth trying.
