Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is comfort food at its best—creamy, cheesy, and topped with a golden buttery cracker crust. A delicious and convenient dinner the whole family will love.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika (I use Hungarian paprika)
- 1 cup extra long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock (low- to moderate- sodium)
For the Broccoli
- 3-1/2 to 4 cups broccoli florets , 10 ounces (see note)
- 3 tablespoons water
For the Topping
- 1 cup crushed butter crackers (such as Ritz or Townhouse, about 30 crackers)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese , 2 ounces (see note)
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
For Assembling the Casserole
- 1-1/4 cups condensed cream of chicken soup (use homemade for the best flavor or a 10.5-ounce can if using store-bought--see note)
- 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken breast (such as from a rotisserie chicken), 12 ounces
- 1/4 cup finely-grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheddar cheese , 6 ounces (divided)
- 1 cup half and half
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F with the rack in the middle position. Lightly coat a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Make the Rice
- Melt butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped yellow onion, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, mustard powder, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the white rice, coating it in the seasoned butter mixture. Pour in chicken broth or stock, stir, and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed (see note). Fluff the cooked rice with a fork.
Cook the Broccoli
- While the rice is cooking, steam the broccoli. Place broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover with a microwave cover or a microwave-safe plate turned upside down and cook on HIGH for 2-1/2 to 4 minutes, depending on your desired tenderness (see note).
- Carefully remove the cover or plate from the bowl (watch your face and hands--the steam will be hot!) and drain the broccoli well.
Make the Topping
- In a bowl, stir together crushed crackers, melted butter, paprika, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded cheddar. Set aside.
Assemble the Casserole and Bake
- To the pot with the cooked rice, add the steamed broccoli florets, condensed cream of chicken soup, cooked chicken breast, Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar, and half and half.
- Gently stir until well combined and season the casserole to taste with salt and pepper. The amount of salt you add will depend on the sodium level of your broth/stock and condensed soup.
- Layer half of the casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish, and then sprinkle it with the remaining 1/2 cup (2 ounces) of shredded cheddar. Add the rest of the casserole over the cheese, spreading it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the casserole with the cracker crumb topping.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the casserole is bubbly. Keep an eye on it as it bakes--if the topping starts to brown too quickly, loosely lay a piece of foil over the top.
- Garnish the casserole with chopped fresh parsley or thyme, if desired, and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Rice: I use Carolina extra long-grain white rice for this recipe, which cooks in 20 minutes with a 2:1 liquid-to-rice ratio. If you’re using a different brand of long-grain rice, be sure to adjust the liquid and cooking time according to the package instructions. I don't recommend using instant or quick-cooking rice for this casserole.
Broccoli: Use a whole head of broccoli, weighing about 12 ounces, to yield 10 ounces of florets. Cut the broccoli into florets that are about 1-inch wide. After the broccoli is cooked, you can cut it into smaller pieces, if you prefer.
My family likes softer-textured broccoli in this casserole, so I steam it until it's tender, but not mushy and falling apart. If you like firmer-textured broccoli, steam it just until it's crisp-tender. It'll soften a little bit more when the casserole bakes, but not a lot.
You can also use pre-cut florets in a steam-in bag (fresh or frozen). Cook them according to package directions, drain them well, and cut any larger florets into bite-sized pieces after cooking.
Shredded Cheddar: You'll need 2 cups total (8 ounces), divided between the topping and casserole. For the best texture, buy it in a block and shred it yourself.
Condensed Soup: Using Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (recipe linked in the ingredients list) adds rich, homemade flavor to this casserole. For convenience, you can prep it up to 5 days ahead and store it in the fridge—you’ll need about half the recipe for this dish.
If using canned condensed soup, I recommend using reduced sodium and salting the casserole to taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.16recipe | Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1103IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 2mg
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