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This Chicken Broccoli Casserole is a creamy, cheesy, yummy home cooked dinner! Whether you use rice or quinoa, you have a filling, simple meal option.
Chicken Broccoli Casserole
This Chicken Broccoli Casserole is a recipe my Mom made ALL the time when we were kids and we always devoured it. The only difference is, she always used rice instead of quinoa. We know it works either way, so feel free to do it the original way with rice — white or brown— if you aren’t in the quinoa mood.
I wasn’t sure how it would come out with the quinoa instead of rice, but I loved it! I hardly noticed a difference at all (and neither did my 2-year-old, so big win!). If you aren’t the biggest fan of quiona and want to ease your way into making it a part of your diet, this quinoa casserole is a good place to start. Oh and another added note, this also tastes great if you do 1 cup of Greek yogurt instead of the ½ c. mayo & sour cream.
Rice vs. Quinoa
There is so much talk about switching to whole grains for healthier, more filling meals. For a while it seemed it was admirable to swap white rice for brown, but now there is such an emphasis on other forms of carbohydrates, such as quinoa. So, what’s the deal? Is it really that much better for you?
When it comes to food, taste matters. So if you prefer the taste of rice with this Chicken Broccoli Casserole, by all means, you go right ahead. But you just might find you like quinoa’s texture and taste too. Plus, there are a few added bonuses when you jump on board the quinoa wagon.
For starters, quinoa is not actually a grain as some people think. It is a seed. But either way, both rice and quinoa have been on the earth for a long, long time. Although quinoa takes on a texture similar to rice and other grains when cooked, it is actually more closely related to spinach and beets. As such, it’s nutritional value is more closely related to its leafy green veggie relatives. Basic benefits of quinoa include the fact that it is a complete protein, it is high in fiber and it is high in minerals. But be aware that brown rice also has a high fiber content, and may help reduce blood pressure.
When it comes to flavor, you really can’t go wrong either way. So we say, give them both a try. You may like them each for different reasons.
More Meals to Try
Looking to mix up your dinner time plan? There are loads of great ideas on our web site. Check out a few of these for starters.
- Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup is a rich, creamy, cheesy bowl of goodness.
- Poppyseed Chicken Casserole offers a tangy, filling meal the whole family will enjoy. Perfect for busy nights.
- Crock pot Salsa Verde Chicken is packed with delicious Mexican flavors. Everyone will think you spent all day working on it.
- Chicken Tikki Masala is chicken in a creamy, curry sauce and is so easy to make at home.
Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 inch pan
Ingredients
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- ½ c. sour cream
- ½ c. mayonnaise
- ¼ c. lemon juice
- 1 c. milk
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 c. cooked rice or quinoa prepared according to package directions
- 3 c. shredded chicken
- 2 c. cooked broccoli
- 2 c. 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 quinoa, chicken, and broccoli.
- When evenly covered in sauce, spoon mixture into 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.
Nutrition Information
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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.