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Busy night? This Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole has your back! It’s hearty, creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor! And it comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Perfect for using up leftover chicken, this family favorite delivers comfort food satisfaction with almost no fuss.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“So delicious! Whole family loved it!” – Kim
“This is pure comfort food. I was looking for something to make that would use up some cooked chicken and broccoli and came upon this recipe. It was a quick dinner to put together and my husband loved it. The only change I made was to increase the rice to four cups. Yummy!” – Lori
“I try a new recipe every week and this is the 1st one my husband said to put into the repeat list.” – Katherine
A Cozy Weeknight Favorite
I grew up in a family with a lot of siblings. Which meant weekdays (and evenings) after school were packed with after-school activities, sports, and other events. Between running us around to all of our various appointments, my mom didn’t usually have much time to prepare dinner. More often than not, she would turn to this Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole recipe for a quick, easy, and hearty dinner that everybody would love. And I’m confident you’ll love it too! This casserole is the ultimate cozy comfort food. It’s creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. With tender chicken, fluffy rice (or quinoa), and fresh broccoli baked in a rich, savory sauce, it’s a warm, satisfying meal that comes together in no time. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or anytime you need an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner!
This casserole is a meal in itself, but it also pairs nicely with a fresh Caprese Salad with Cherry Tomatoes or a side of Quick Garlic Bread, or you can finish it off with a sweet Raspberry Peach Cobbler.
❤️ Erica
Table of Contents
- 5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- A Cozy Weeknight Favorite
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
- Tips and Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing and Reheating Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
- More Meals to Try
- How to Make Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
- Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of these ingredients you already have on hand in the pantry or refrigerator.
- Cream of chicken soup – Make a homemade-style cream of chicken soup, or buy the canned version at the store. Either way, it adds so much flavor and creamy texture to the dish.
- Sour cream – Adds a creamy base with a sweet and tangy flavor to the cream sauce.
- Mayonnaise – Trust me, mayo is a MUST for this casserole dish. So tasty and adds flavor to the broccoli.
- Lemon juice – Balances out the cream bases and gives a hint of sweetness to the dish. It also keeps the broccoli and chicken looking and tasting fresh.
- Milk
- Cooked rice or quinoa – Rice (white or brown) or quinoa both work well for this dish. Cook the rice or quinoa according to the package directions, before adding it to the casserole.
- Chicken – Cook your chicken breast ahead of time, then shred the chicken, or for a quicker, way buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it.
- Broccoli florets – Cut the broccoli big or small depending on your preference.
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded cheese will be sprinkled over the top of the chicken and broccoli ingredients.
How to Make Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
- Mix – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Combine – Gently stir in the cooked rice (or quinoa), shredded chicken, and broccoli until everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Bake the casserole – Spoon the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
- Add cheese and finish baking – Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and return to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of salt and pepper, if desired.
Tips and Substitutions
Take your chicken rice and broccoli casserole to the next level with these tips and modifications:
- Cutting chicken – Instead of shredding your chicken, cut it into bite-size pieces for a different texture and presentation.
- Substitute soup – Use cream of mushroom soup for a different flavor.
- Chicken broth – Try chicken broth instead of milk for a lighter casserole. It will still give good flavor as well as keep the chicken tender and moist.
- Creamy sauce – Add a tangy twist by substituting 1 cup of Greek yogurt instead of ½ cup of mayo and sour cream.
- Vegetables – Add in your favorite vegetables like fresh green beans, chopped onions, sliced celery, or cut-up carrots.
- Rice – Use white rice, long-grain rice, or brown rice. Sometimes I like to use jasmine rice to add extra aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Seasonings – For more flavor, add a tablespoon of basil and/or garlic powder. Not to mention sprinkling more black pepper and kosher salt to taste.
- Cheese choices – Switch to a more flavored cheese like sharp cheddar cheese or add some pepper jack cheese for a spicy kick.
- Topping – Once the cheese has melted, add a layer of crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter to the top and bake for a few more minutes to give more texture and depth to the casserole dish. It is similar to breadcrumbs and gives a soft crumb texture on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but fresh broccoli will taste the best and will have a firmer texture. If using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain it well before adding it to the casserole to prevent excess moisture.
Yes, the rice should be pre-cooked before mixing it in. Using fully cooked rice or quinoa helps the casserole bake evenly and keeps it from turning out mushy.
Definitely! You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate it (covered) until you’re ready to bake. Just add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge.
Rotisserie chicken, leftover shredded chicken, or even diced grilled chicken all work perfectly. Using precooked chicken keeps prep time short and simple.
Storing and Reheating Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
I love this chicken rice and broccoli casserole for those busy weeknights, as it is an easy dish to store in the refrigerator, freeze, and reheat!
- Refrigerate – Simply cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil, or plastic wrap, or place it in an airtight container in the fridge for four to five days.
- Freezer – Place the rice and broccoli casserole chicken in a freezable baking dish. When ready to thaw, place in the fridge overnight before cooking.
- Reheat – When ready to reheat, place back in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook until warmed up. If using a microwave, cook in 45-second intervals or until it is warmed through.
Read More: 35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love
More Meals to Try
Looking to mix up your dinner time plan? There are loads of great ideas on our website. Check out a few of these for starters.
There’s nothing better than a warm, homemade casserole on a busy night. This easy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole is sure to become a new family favorite! Don’t forget to leave a comment and rating if you make it. I always love hearing from you! 🍗🥦
How to Make Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup milk
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 3 cups cooked rice or quinoa, prepared according to package directions
- 3 cups shredded chicken, use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken or even canned chicken
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine cream of chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, milk, and salt & pepper.
- Gently stir in rice, chicken, and broccoli.
- When evenly covered in sauce, spoon the mixture into a 9×13 glass baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese, and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve with salt, pepper, and lemon juice for garnish.
Equipment
- 9×13 inch pan
Notes
Make It Ahead
To make this dish ahead, prepare as directed, but instead of baking cover the dish and keep it in the fridge for up to two days. Remove the casserole dish from the fridge while the oven is preheating. Bake for an extra 5-10 minutes to ensure it is heated through before serving.How to Store and Reheat Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
This is an easy dish to store in the refrigerator. Simply cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for four to five days. When ready to reheat, place back in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook until warmed up. If using a microwave, cook in 45-second intervals or until it is warmed through. Note: A previous version of this recipe included cooking the broccoli before adding to the casserole. We have found that it is better to put it in uncooked. It keeps some of its crispiness.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Making today. Does the broccoli need to be cooked before it’s put in the casserole or does it cook while baking in the oven? Thx.
It should be cooked first, I usually like to just steam it until it is a little more firm than crisp-tender and then let it cook the rest of the way in the oven with the casserole. Hope this helps!
I love your recipes
can i make this without the mayo, not a big fan of the stuff?
Yes you can use Greek yogurt instead. It won’t taste exactly the same but it will be close. Hope this helps!
not a fan of yogurt as well, does this recipe really need yogurt or mayo to still be satisfying.
I try a new recipe every week and this is the 1st one my husband said to put into the repeat list. I baked the chicken while getting everything else ready then cubed it. Followed the recipe and added 1 TBSP minced garlic and medium onion, chopped. Used my favorite Goya total seasoning liberally. At the end I only had a bit of cheddar cheese so substituted Monterey Jack. Next time I will try Pepper Jack and brown rice.
Wow – that is quite a compliment! Thank you and please thank your husband as well! 🙂
So delicious! Whole family loved it!
Can the lemon juice be omitted? I am out of lemons and wanted to make this tonight without running to the store.
It can be omitted!
This is pure comfort food. I was looking for something to make that would use up some cooked chicken and broccoli and came upon this recipe. It was a quick dinner to put together and my husband loved it. The only change I made was to increase the rice to four cups. Yummy!
Making this right now for dinner. Doing a few things different. Cooked quinoa in chicken broth (1.5 C quinoa to 3 C broth), omitted chicken because we are on a tight budget and I can’t find chicken cheaper than $8 around these parts. Used cream of potato soup instead of cream of chicken because I find cream of chicken soup nauseating. Tasted the broccoli and quinoa mixture before baking, and it tastes good. Can’t wait to try the finished product! Thanks for this recipe.
We are trying not to used processed food. What could I substitute for the canned cream of chicken soup?
If you do a google search for Cream of Chicken soup substitutes you will get a lot of options. We don’t have one available on our site yet as we are still trying to figure out the perfect recipe for it! We will let you know as soon as we come up with one! 🙂
Doesn’t the quinoa need to be rinsed really good? I even rinsed it really well and it still tasted bitter. What am I doing wrong?
It could have been the brand/type of quinoa you used?
Hey, this sounds amazing. When you say 3 cups of cooked quinoa do you mean 3 cups of quinoa and then cook it ?or is the 3 cups once it has already been cooked? If so, how many cups uncooked is that?
It is 3 c. once it has already boon cooked. I would say 1 1/2 c. uncooked….
Can this somehow be made in the crockpot? Maybe just the chicken, broccoli and sauce – and then add the cooked quinoa later? We’re trying to avoid using the oven with the hot weather recently. Or is there maybe a way to cook it on the stove top?
I guess you could try it in the crock pot.. haven’t tried either method before. Let us know how it turns out!
Do you think this can be prepared and frozen before cooking it? I’m 8 months pregnant with #3 and trying to prepare dishes now so we have homemade meals when the baby arrives.
Yes, definitely!
Do you think I could substitute cauliflower florets for the broccoli? I love broccoli but my dad isn’t a big fan, but I wanted to try this soo badly and was thinking of a way I could without the broccoli. And we all love caiflower.. But I’m not sure how to do that or if it will work? If so would the cooking time and all change? Thanks!! (:
Um… Sure! You can absolutely try it with cauliflower. If you steam or boil it like the broccoli it shouldn’t change the baking time at all. Let me know how it turns out! You could also do half of each..
HI! How many servings would you say this is? Maybe 8?
I would say about 8 to 10.