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This chicken broccoli rice casserole is loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and topped with buttery Ritz crackers. It comes together in no time and is the perfect busy weeknight meal.
I love a good casserole. They are so quick and easy to throw together and are perfect for a crowd. This chicken broccoli rice casserole really hits the spot. It’s a well-rounded meal that you can whip up in just one hour and while doing so only dirty 2 dishes. It doesn’t get much better than that.
A rich, cheesy sauce pulls together succulent pieces of chicken, tender broccoli florets, and perfectly cooked rice to create a gloriously tasty, hearty, all-in-one meal. Top it off with buttery Ritz crackers and you’ve got yourself a casserole the whole family will enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This simple, delicious casserole is pretty unbeatable if you are in the market for a no-brainer weeknight meal. Here are some of my favorite things about it.
- Quick and easy. Only 10 minutes of hands-on time and you’re 50 minutes away from a delicious, hearty meal. Feel free to go about your life while the casserole bubbles in the oven.
- No mess. All you need is one bowl and one casserole dish to make this delicious entree. So you barely have to worry about clean up.
- Great to make ahead. Busy life? I get it! Throw this casserole together (just leave off the ritz crackers), cover it tightly with saran wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before popping it in the oven to cook. Note that it is best to allow the casserole to come to room temperature before baking if you decide to make it ahead.
What You’ll Need
This is a simple recipe requiring simple ingredients. My favorite kind. Here’s what you will need to make chicken broccoli rice casserole. Scroll to the recipe card below for measurements.
- Chicken tenderloins – The chicken does not need to be cooked first. They will cook with the rest of the casserole. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, you can cube or shred it and use that instead.
- White rice – I highly recommend using instant rice to avoid crunchy rice at the end. Otherwise, select rice that cooks in 20 minutes or less. I used sushi rice but the choice is yours. Brown rice and wild rice will both take too long to cook so steer clear.
- Whole milk – 2% will work here as well. The casserole will just be slightly less rich.
- Cream of chicken – Not a fan of the canned stuff? Try making your own!
- Frozen broccoli florets – Thaw at room temperature and pat dry before using.
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese – You can play with other kinds of cheese if you’d like. Pepper jack might be fun if you want to spice things up.
- Ritz crackers
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
In just 5 simple steps you will have a glorious, cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole. Here’s how to make it. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375 °F and grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Mix together all the ingredients except the Ritz crackers.
- Pour the ingredients into the casserole dish and sprinkle Ritz crackers.
- Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes (optional).
Tips for Success
Ready to make the best chicken and rice casserole you’ve ever had? Follow these simple tips and tricks and you’ll be on your way.
- Use instant rice. While you can use any product that cooks in under 20 minutes, I highly suggest using instant rice. It is the safest bet if you want to avoid crunchy rice in your finished casserole.
- Don’t broil for too long. The first time I made this casserole, I left it under the broiler for too long at the end and absolutely charred the ritz cracker topping. So keep an eye out if you decide to broil it at the end.
- Pat your broccoli dry. After thawing the broccoli, it is important to pat it dry so that it does not impart unnecessary moisture to the casserole.
FAQs
This is a relatively simple recipe but there are a few common questions that I am frequently asked by those I have shared it with. Here they come.
Do I Cook The Chicken Before Putting It In The Casserole?
No. This is not necessary. The chicken will cook with the rest of the ingredients.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken In This Casserole?
You can! Just shred or chop the chicken and mix it in with the rest of the filling before baking.
Do I Have To Use Cream of Chicken? I Don’t Like That Stuff.
The cream of chicken in this recipe does add a lovely, creamy texture to the dish. If you aren’t a cream of chicken fan, there are a few ways to substitute. You can make your own if you are trying to avoid the canned stuff. Alternatively, you can easily use cream of mushroom, cream of celery, cream of asparagus, or cream of potato soup instead. You can also use sour cream or plain greek yogurt. Just prepare yourself for a tangier casserole.
What to Serve With Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This casserole delivers a hearty punch of veggies, carbs, proteins, and fats. It can easily be a meal in and of itself. That being said, I love dolling it up with a side dish or two. Here are some of my favorites.
- Salad. Lighten up this hearty meal with my Vegan Caesar Salad, this Chopped Endive and Romaine Salad, or my favorite Kale Caesar Salad.
- Veggies. This casserole already has some veggies in it but I have been loving serving it with these Garlic Roasted Green Beans or my Green Bean Casserole. Roasted Parmesan Carrots or Roasted Lemony Pesto Asparagus would be a nice addition as well.
- Soup. Try serving broccoli rice chicken casserole with a refreshing soup like this Chilled Creamy Asparagus Soup.
How to Store Leftovers
Allow the casserole to cool completely before wrapping the baking pan tightly in saran wrap. and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you are ready to reheat, remove the saran wrap, cover the casserole with aluminum foil, and pop it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Can I Freeze This Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole?
You can! It actually freezes quite nicely. Prepare the recipe from start to finish (just leave off the Ritz crackers), wrap the baking dish tightly in saran wrap, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy, unwrap the baking pan, sprinkle the casserole with Ritz crackers, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
I love a quick and easy casserole. It’s a great way to serve a crowd. This cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole is to die for but here are some of my other favorites for you to try.
- Enchilada pasta casserole
- Taco Casserole
- Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Casserole
- Pumpkin eggplant burrata casserole
- Cheesy hashbrown casserole
- Sweet potato and sage butter casserole
- Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
Broccoli, Rice, and Chicken Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch cubes, uncooked
- 1 cup (185 g) white rice, uncooked OR instant rice (different types of rice will yield very different cook times. I used sushi rice. Due to the number of folks who have tried this recipe & still say their rice is crunchy, I highly suggest you use instant rice)
- 2 ¼ cup (532 ⅓ ml) whole milk
- 10.75 ounce (333 g) can of cream of chicken
- 1 ½ cup (136 ½ g) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
- 1 ¾ cup (197 ¾ g) extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch oven safe casserole dish (mine was ceramic, but you may use glass).
- In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients except the Ritz crackers, together until well-incorporated.
- Pour the ingredients into the greased casserole dish, spread into an even layer, then sprinkle Ritz crackers on top of the mixture.
- Bake mixture, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes, or whenever rice and chicken are done cooking (mine took about 40 minutes, yours may take longer depending on your oven).
- To get a deeper, golden color, you may put the casserole under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Be careful to watch it carefully!
- Serve immediately.
Do you use uncooked rice or do you cook the rice ahead of time?
in the recipe it says uncooked :) it cooks with the liquid in the casserole when it’s in the oven!
Hi I hope you are able to see my comment, I have a question about the rice. I have all three types of rice(reg, instant, and sushi) and trying to decide which method I will use!🥴. Can I ask why you recommend the sushi one? Does it turn out sticky in the casserole as it would when it comes out if the rice cooker? It goes in the casserole for the same amount time as if you use regular rice?
Also I am assuming the fact it goes in the 9×13 for a smaller amount, it spreads out thinner and this may be why it cooks well, and perhaps people are putting it in a smaller dish and it’s not cooking evenly for them as your recipe directs??
here are the answers to all your questions:
-i used sushi rice because it’s the rice i keep at home at all times.
-it does turn a little sticky as it would when it comes out of the rice cooker.
-yes, it goes into the casserole and cooks in the time that is indicated in the recipe
-perhaps, people are doing that; i’m not sure if they don’t let me know what mistakes they’ve made.
This is my family’s favorite chicken casserole. When I make it the three of us always eat the whole casserole, we never have leftovers.
So delicious and easy. I will definitely be adding this to the rotation of regular meals!
Can I cook this in 2 smaller casseroles and freeze one for later? There is just the 2 of us.
yes, definitely!
I’m not a casserole person but this had all my favorites. I follow exact but used fresh broccoli, uncooked rice. Came out awesome. Thank you
I can’t tell you how many times I have made this. I follow the directions exactly, but leave out the chicken (my daughter is a vegetarian). We make a ham to go with it and my daughter has her own protein. Not once have I ever had any problems with it. It has come out perfectly every time. We absolutely love this meal.
I’m sorry, when I said I was going to double it I meant I need 2 full 10×13 casserole dinners. He likes a little more chicken than most people. I’ve had several back surgeries & hurt all the time so taking care of him is going to be hard on me. The more dinners I can thaw and either put in a dish or in the crockpot will definitely be helpful. If you or any of your readers have other meal suggestions I’m definitely interested. Again thank you very much!!
Patty
My husband’s having major surgery in a couple of weeks so I’m trying to get some ready to cook meals in the freezer. I’m going to double the recipe and wanted to know how many pounds of chicken did you use? Also do you think I could freeze everything except the crackers until I put it in a casserole dish? Or just freeze the chicken broccoli and rice and adding the other ingredients later…what would you recommend?
Thanks for great recipes.
I would say use about 2 pounds of chicken total, but I read your other comment and it said that your husband likes a little more chicken than most so I would do 3 pounds of chicken and divide amongst the two casserole dinners. And yes, you can freeze everything except the crackers! Just sprinkle those on before baking. Remember to bring the casserole dinners to room temperature before putting in the oven from freezer – you don’t want anything to shatter! Unless you’re using aluminum foil trays then that can go directly from freezer to oven. I would also try to add a little more liquid in the casserole dinners before putting in the oven so there’s additional moisture to cook the rice all the way through OR cook the rice before you freeze and stir everything together and then you likely won’t have to do add more liquid.
@Julie Chiou,
Julie, thank you for getting back to me and for the suggestions. Meals like this one and other ones that I can throw together, freeze, thaw then either put in a casserole dish or a crockpot are definitely going to be a life saver for me. I’m making a large crockpot breakfast casserole that we love the day before, so I should be set and not have to worry about cooking for several weeks
Thank you so much!!
Patty
This is my husband’s favorite meal I make! I boil and shred the chicken before and have added corn, green beans, and peas! So easy & so delicious.