Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Updated Dec 12, 2025
This chicken broccoli rice casserole is all baked together, no separate cooking required, with chicken breast, cheddar cheese, and cut broccoli.
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My Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is So Good!
I didn’t grow up eating casseroles, so this chicken broccoli rice casserole wasn’t exactly a thing in my Lebanese family. But once I had kids and started figuring out my own dinner routine, I finally understood why people love them. It’s all made in one dish, the chicken, broccoli, rice, and cheese, and I don’t have to pre-cook anything. I mix everything right in the baking dish, cover it up, and let the oven do the rest. It’s not fancy, but it’s the kind of dinner that disappears fast around here.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Ingredients
- Chicken breast: I like the texture of chicken breast, but you can also use 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs!
- Broccoli: If you don’t have time to work with fresh broccoli, bagged, pre-cut broccoli florets will totally work for this chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe.
- Cheddar cheese: Grate it off the block if you can (fresh grated cheese is softer and more melty compared to pre-shredded cheddar cheese).
- Rice: I use basmati rice because it’s the only long-grain rice I buy, but you can use any long-grain white rice. I would avoid short-grain rice because it can get mushy in the oven.
- Broth: I like the flavor of chicken broth in this casserole recipe, but vegetable stock will also work!
- Milk: Whole milk is my go-to, but you can use low-fat or any kind of unflavored, unsweetened non-dairy milk.
- Yogurt: Plain, whole Greek yogurt tastes best, but low-fat yogurt or sour cream will still add tanginess and creaminess.
- Spices: You’ll need onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried thyme for this cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
This chicken broccoli rice casserole is easy. Nothing has to be precooked: Just add your chicken breast, rice, broccoli, and seasonings straight to the casserole dish, then bake.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup uncooked white rice rinsed
- 1 pound chicken breast cubed
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a 9×13 casserole dish, whisk together the chicken broth, milk, Greek yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and thyme until smooth.
- Add the rinsed rice, cubed chicken, and broccoli florets to the dish. Stir everything gently to combine.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and check if the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to fluff the rice gently.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for another 7-9 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Rinse your rice first! This will remove the excess starch so your chicken broccoli rice casserole doesn’t come out mushy.
- Storage: Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, any leftovers will last about 3 days. Reheat individual portions of the casserole in the microwave for a couple of minutes until warmed through. You can also store the covered casserole dish in the fridge and reheat at 350°F.
- Freezing: If you have a freezer-safe casserole dish, you can cover the whole thing and put it in the freezer. If you don’t, you can place portions of the casserole into freezer bags or airtight containers. The chicken broccoli rice casserole will keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, just thaw the dish or portion in the oven overnight and then reheat.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups, Calories: 563kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 124mg, Sodium: 1070mg, Potassium: 930mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 990IU, Vitamin C: 62mg, Calcium: 462mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Recipe Tips
- Tightly cover your baking dish. Make sure your foil is tightly sealed so that you don’t lose any moisture while baking, and the rice will cook evenly.
- Brown the cheese. If you prefer a browned cheesy top, move the baking dish to the top rack and broil for the remaining time.
- Rinse your rice first. This will remove the excess starch so your chicken broccoli rice casserole doesn’t come out mushy.
- Don’t skip fluffing the rice. This will help the rice absorb most of the liquid, and improve the dish’s texture!
Serving Ideas
- Pair with a side salad. For something fresh and green alongside this chicken casserole, I like to make a kale Caesar salad, a classic garden salad, or a mixed green salad.
- Serve with bread. It’s nice to have something starchy to dip into this cheesy, melty dish like my garlic cheese bread, or my garlic & herb skillet dinner rolls.
FAQs
What do I do if my rice hasn’t absorbed most of the liquid?
I would re-cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and put back in the oven, checking after 10 minutes to see if the liquid’s absorbed.
Comments
Can quinoa be substituted for rice?
Yes, that should work! Make sure it’s fully cooked before adding the cheese and putting back in the oven. Hope it turns out great!
This recipe looks absolutely delicious. I will be making it this weekend along with your herb & garlic dinner rolls. However, can I use plant milk instead? I’m allergic to regular milk.
Yes, absolutely! You can replace the cheddar cheese with a plant cheese as well. Hope you enjoy!!
It took more than 45 minutes for me to have liquid absorbed more like 55 minutes ๐ still yummy once done
So happy you liked it, Lisa!! Thanks!
Could you make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken? Thank you!
Yes, you could make it vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth. The cook time will likely need to be adjusted though. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious and so easy to make! Thank you Yumna!
So happy you liked it!! Thank you!