Broccoli Rice Cheese and Chicken Casserole

Broccoli Rice Cheese and Chicken Casserole brings dinner together in one dish, with tender chicken, rice cooked in broth, broccoli, and a creamy cheddar filling. The buttery Ritz topping adds a little crunch to each spoonful. It is a good choice when you want a filling meal without making separate sides.

You can start with chicken breasts or use diced rotisserie chicken. The rice cooks on the stove before the casserole goes into the oven, so the bake is mainly for heating the filling and melting the cheese. Add the cracker topping toward the end to keep it crisp.

Why This Casserole Works

Cooking the rice in chicken broth gives it flavor before the creamy ingredients go in. The broccoli cooks in the same pot, saving another pan, and the cheddar is divided between the filling and the top. Sour cream gives the sauce a little tang, while the crackers provide a welcome change from the soft rice and chicken.

Ingredients and Helpful Notes

• 2 tablespoons butter: for cooking the chicken. You will need another 2 tablespoons, melted, for the topping.
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts: cut into bite-size pieces, or use 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken.
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning: plus salt and black pepper to taste.
• 2½ cups chicken broth and 1 tablespoon olive oil: for cooking the rice.
• 1¼ cups white long-grain rice: measured dry. Brown rice and instant rice need different cooking times.
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets: cut larger florets into smaller pieces so they cook evenly.
• 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup: use it straight from the can without adding the water suggested for making soup.
• ½ cup milk and ½ cup sour cream: these loosen and enrich the filling.
• 2 cups shredded cheddar: put 1 cup in the filling and save 1 cup for the top.
• Optional seasonings: 1 teaspoon dried thyme and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers: mixed with the extra melted butter for the topping.

How to Make Broccoli Rice Cheese and Chicken Casserole

Cook the chicken

Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Season the chicken pieces with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat, then cook the chicken until cooked through and lightly golden. About 5 minutes is a starting point; larger pieces may take longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

If you are using rotisserie chicken, skip the browning step. Keep the diced cooked chicken ready to stir into the filling later.

Start the rice in broth

Add the chicken broth, olive oil, and uncooked rice to the pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cover tightly. Cook for 7 minutes. Keep the lid on during this first stage so the rice has enough steam to cook.

Add the broccoli and let the rice finish

Add the fresh broccoli, replace the lid, and cook for 8 more minutes without stirring. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes. This gives the grains time to finish absorbing the liquid. Use your rice packet as a guide if its cooking time differs, and check that the rice is tender before mixing in the sauce.

Make the creamy filling

Gently stir the cooked chicken, condensed soup, milk, sour cream, and 1 cup cheddar into the rice and broccoli. Add the optional thyme and garlic powder if you are using them. Fold just until everything is combined so the broccoli stays in pieces rather than breaking into the sauce.

Add cheddar and bake covered

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheddar over the top, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. The filling should still be warm when it goes into the oven.

Finish with the Ritz topping

While the casserole bakes, mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Leave a few small pieces among the finer crumbs for texture. Uncover the casserole, sprinkle the buttery crumbs evenly over the cheese, and bake uncovered for about 10 more minutes, until the topping is crisp and the filling is hot throughout.

Rest Briefly and Serve

Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before scooping. It is meant to be creamy and spoonable, so use a broad serving spoon to get some chicken, rice, broccoli, and topping into each portion. The recipe makes about 6 servings.

A simple salad or sliced tomatoes works alongside it if you want something fresh on the table. The casserole already includes chicken, rice, and vegetables, so you can also serve it on its own. Add a little black pepper at the table if you like.

Small Details That Make a Difference

• Keep the rice type consistent. The broth amount and timing are written for uncooked white long-grain rice.
• Cut the broccoli evenly. Smaller, similar-size florets cook more evenly than a mix of large stems and tiny pieces.
• Set aside the topping cheese. Divide the cheddar before mixing so the filling and top each get 1 cup.
• Add crackers after the covered bake. This gives the topping a chance to crisp during the final uncovered stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes. Use 2 cups diced cooked chicken and skip cooking the chicken in butter. Stir it in after the rice and broccoli have cooked. The seasoning and final bake can stay the same.

Can I use brown or instant rice?

Both cook differently from the white long-grain rice used here. For the recipe as written, use long-grain white rice. A different rice would need changes to the cooking time and possibly the broth amount.

Do I add water to the condensed soup?

No. Add the condensed soup as it comes from the can. The measured milk and sour cream are already part of the filling, and extra water can make the casserole too loose.

Can I leave off the crackers?

Yes. Finish with the cheddar topping if you prefer a softer top. Keep an eye on the casserole during the final uncovered bake and take it out when the center is hot and the cheese is melted.

Broccoli Rice Cheese and Chicken Casserole Recipe

The card below brings the ingredient amounts and cooking stages together. Allow time for both the rice to stand and the finished casserole to rest before serving.

Broccoli Rice Cheese and Chicken Casserole

Tender chicken, long-grain rice, and broccoli in a creamy cheddar filling with a buttery Ritz topping. Cook the rice on the stove, bake the casserole covered, then add the crumbs for the final uncovered bake.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

Casserole

• 2 tbsp butter for cooking raw chicken; omit this butter when using rotisserie chicken
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups white long-grain rice uncooked
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets uncooked
• 10.5 oz condensed cream of chicken soup one 10.5-ounce can; do not dilute
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided: 1 cup in the filling and 1 cup on top

Optional Seasonings

• 1 tsp dried thyme optional
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder optional

Ritz Topping

• 1 cup Ritz crackers crushed
• 2 tbsp butter melted

Instructions

 

Cook the Chicken and Rice

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cut the raw chicken into bite-size pieces and season with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the chicken until cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 minutes depending on piece size. Transfer to a plate. If using 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken, skip this step and keep the cooked chicken ready to add later.
  
• Add the chicken broth, olive oil, and uncooked long-grain white rice to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and cook for 7 minutes.
  
• Add the broccoli, replace the cover, and cook for 8 more minutes without stirring. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Check that the rice is tender before adding the creamy ingredients; use the rice packet as a guide if its cooking time differs.
  

Assemble and Bake

• Gently fold in the cooked chicken, condensed cream of chicken soup without added water, milk, sour cream, optional thyme and garlic powder, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Keep the broccoli pieces intact as you mix.
  
• Spread the warm filling in the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1 cup cheddar. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
  
• Mix the crushed Ritz crackers with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Uncover the casserole, sprinkle the buttery crumbs evenly over the cheese, and bake uncovered for about 10 more minutes, until the topping is crisp and the filling is hot throughout.
  
• Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then scoop into portions and serve.
  

Notes

Rice: Use uncooked white long-grain rice. The 7-minute first simmer, 8 minutes with broccoli, and 10-minute covered stand are written for this rice; check the packet if its timing differs.

Chicken: Use 2 chicken breasts or 2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken. Skip cooking the chicken in butter when using rotisserie chicken.

Cheddar: Divide the 2 cups evenly: 1 cup in the filling and 1 cup on top.

Topping: Add the buttered Ritz crumbs after the covered bake so they can crisp during the final 10 minutes.

Timing: About 75 minutes is an estimate for the raw-chicken version, including the rice standing time and the final 5-minute rest. Chicken pieces and rice brands can take different amounts of time.

Keyword Broccoli Rice Cheese and Chicken Casserole, chicken broccoli rice casserole, Ritz cracker topping

More Chicken Casseroles to Try

For another dinner that starts with cooked chicken, try Rotisserie Chicken and Stuffing Casserole. If you are in the mood for a creamy pasta side, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese is another option to keep in your recipe collection.