Scrumptious Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole brings caramelized onions, sweet garlic, and sautéed chicken together with long-grain rice and steamed fresh broccoli in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, all topped with a buttery cracker topping.
This no-canned soup recipe requires a little more effort, but with some helpful tips, even the novice cook can handle this comfort food recipe. My family loves this recipe, and it is always a welcome dish, even with my picky son.
I am not a fan of cream-of-anything soup, including cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup. They taste so bland, so I like to make my sauces from scratch. Hamburger potato casserole, king ranch chicken, and chicken a la king are just a few of our favorite recipes without canned soup.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt by a pinch or two.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into thin, bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Rice: Long-grain like basmati or jasmine. You can substitute brown rice for white rice, but it takes a little longer to cook.
- Broccoli: Fresh or frozen. If using frozen, thaw it and drain any moisture. Frozen broccoli is already blanched.
- Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, onion powder, dried marjoram, dried or fresh thyme, or rosemary
- Milk: Whole or 2%
- Cheese: Cheddar, preferably a good quality sharp cheddar with lots of flavor
- Toppings: Ritz crackers, cornflakes, panko bread crumbs, or Italian breadcrumbs.
How to make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Sauté the onions.
- Add the chicken and cook until browned, flipping halfway through to brown both sides. Plate the chicken.
- Reduce the heat and cook the garlic. Plate the garlic.
- Cook the rice and steam the broccoli.
- Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously. Add the crushed red pepper, onion powder, marjoram, and thyme.
- Whisk in the chicken broth and milk. Cook until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Turn the heat to low and whisk in the shredded cheddar. Add the chicken, rice, and steamed broccoli.
- Spoon half the mixture into the casserole dish, then top with cheddar. Spoon the rest of the chicken mixture in and top with the remaining cheddar.
- Combine the crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle over the casserole and bake.
Preparation Tips
- The onions and chicken can be cooked simultaneously by pushing the onions to one side of the pan and working in batches with the chicken. Add a little butter or olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking.
- Steam the broccoli in the microwave. It is so easy—it takes just a minute to prep it and put it in the microwave.
- Other vegetables to add to this recipe include mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can, but be sure to thaw it and remove any excess moisture. Frozen broccoli is already blanched, so there is no reason to steam it.
That is a great time saver, and these delicious rotisserie chickens are available almost everywhere. Remove the skin and cut about 2 cups of chicken off the bone into bite-sized pieces. Stir it into the cheese sauce with the onions, garlic, broccoli, and rice.
This dish can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the fridge. However, hold off mixing the crackers and butter until right before baking.
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 -40 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature. Then mix and add the buttery cracker topping and bake.
More Chicken Recipes
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cut in bite sizes pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 4 cups broccoli florets cut in bite size pieces
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed 32 crackers
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Move the onions to one side of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned, flipping halfway through to brown both sides.
- Work in batches with the chicken, removing the cooked pieces to a plate and stirring the onions on the other side of the skillet. Once all the chicken is cooked, add the garlic; cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Plate the onions and garlic.
- Meanwhile, add the water, 1 tablespoon of butter, salt, and long-grain rice to a saucepan. Heat until boiling, and then cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Steam the broccoli on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously while cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper, onion powder, dried marjoram, and dried thyme.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk, alternating between the two. Continue whisking and cooking until smooth and slightly thickened. Turn the heat to low and whisk in 1 1/4 cups of cheddar. Add the cooked chicken, rice, and broccoli, and stir to coat.
- Spoon ½ of the chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish, then top with ½ cup cheddar. Spoon the rest of the chicken mixture in and top with the remaining cheese.
- Combine the crackers and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle it over the casserole and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is browned and the cheese is melted.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at a reduced power level.
- Freeze in a heavy-duty container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Karen
You share the best recipes, thank you so much. I can’t wait to make the broccoli casserole, it looks so delicious and healthy.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Karen! Enjoy!
Carole Ann
I love casseroles, they are always so filling and smell good when they’re cooking. I love the fact that you’ve added a cracker topping. I’m going to test this out tomorrow.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Carole Ann! Enjoy!
Kat
I used to rely on those canned soups for dinner until I realized how much better a scratch sauce tastes. Sautéing the chicken with fresh garlic makes the whole kitchen smell way more inviting than the processed stuff.
Sammy
My daughter has to watch her diet at the moment and chicken and rice come up a lot at meal times. This is something totally different that we would both eat Thank you for giving me something else to eat
Jupiter Hadley
We’ve been looking for some mid-week meal inspo – and this sounds really easy yet filling. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Jupiter.
Clarice
I’m running out of ideas for what to prepare for dinner, and this one looks good. Thank you for sharing these tips. I’m happy to know I can use rotisserie chicken since we still have some leftovers at home.
Karen
I will be doing this tomorrow (Saturday) and I can’t can’t wait. I just printed the recipe. I am so excited to try this out. Thank you so much for sharing.
Tammy
This recipe is a Thanksgiving staple to make and brings back so many memories. Thanks for sharing.
Kat
Cooking from scratch without those canned soups makes a massive difference in how the meal tastes. My family also appreciates a buttery cracker crust because it adds a nice texture to the cheesy rice.
Vanessa
This sounded delicious to begin with, but adding the cheesy, crumbly topping was a genious move for that extra bit of flavour and comfort. A very tasty recipe. We loved it.