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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.
Found this on Pinterest, made it for dinner, and LOVED IT!! Thank you :)
So glad you loved this!
What a great easy meal. Sounds delicious! Looking forward to making this!
Hope you enjoy, Sue!
My rice still didn’t get done and I cooked it 45 mins and then 20 mins with foil… But then that it was good and my broccoli was still a little crunchy some too… Did I do something wrong???
I don’t think you did anything wrong, Amanda. Did you use fresh or frozen broccoli? I think the type of rice you use will yield longer cook times. What type of rice did you use? I updated the recipe to make this note as I used sushi rice and others have used jasmine and didn’t have to cook it as long.
Just tried this recipe tonight. Easy assembly and items I usually have on hand. The rice was a bit crunchy at 38 minutes but the flavor was quite good.
Whenever trying a new recipe, I try to follow the directions and then modify it a second time. I would probably soak the rice in boiling water about 10 minutes while assembling everything, add a bit of pepper (agree with your salt note) and maybe a dash of cayenne.
Thank you for a new recipe and the opportunity to make it my own!
Hi Jee, I’m glad you tried this tonight! Crunchy rice seems to be an issue some people are having (and then some are not having that issue at all, including myself when I developed the recipe). I modified the recipe so that there is more liquid and longer cooking time so I hope that will solve some of the crunchy rice issues. I’m glad that you enjoyed it either way! Hopefully your modifications will suit you when you make it in the future!
Can you use fresh broccoli? I have tons of it on hand right now.
Hi Jee, yes you can.
I just made this and the rice is not cooked through. I hope there is enough liquid left to cook it now that I covered it and put it back in the oven. I am not hopeful though. Otherwise, it tastes good if you like crunchy rice! I wonder if we shouldn’t cook the rice first??
Hi April, sorry that your rice isn’t cooked through. If you prefer, you can cook the rice first but the only reason I don’t specify doing that is because I’ve tested it before and the rice gets way too mushy and soft. It’s like baby food. However, if you feel that cooking the rice beforehand would ensure you to not have crunchy rice, then I would definitely go for it!
have you ever made it with fresh broccoli
Hi Diane, I’ve never made it with fresh broccoli but it’d work the same!
This is in the oven right now, cant wait to try it!!! We just had a baby 3 months ago the the less time i need to spend in the kitchen the better!!! I too added the whole 2 cup bag of cheese as well as what was left of the broccoli and added a little extra rice and milk and used my favorite garlic/black pepper/sea salt grinder and threw some in. I am a total garlic freak! Hope it turns out yummy!
Hi Tenley! Congratulations on your new baby! I’m so glad you decided to make this. I’m a total garlic freak too and I’m glad you modified it to your tastes. Hope you enjoyed it!
Julie! I have made a ton of your recipes… love them all! BUT… i made this one the other night… and of all the meals I have made… this is the ONLY time that i can remember that my daughter asked for 3rds!!!!!!! I can’t even begin to tell you how rewarding that felt for me! so THANK YOU for providing such an easy and yummy recipe!
Awesome, Ada!! So glad you enjoyed it. That’s amazing that your daughter asked for thirds!! Yay :)
Love that this is a 1 dish meal! And yes, I kept hoping Paul Walker’s death was a hoax. =( One of my favorite car shows is Wheeler Dealers. Also, I prefer British car shows more than the American ones. =)