• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bless this Mess
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Sides
  • Desserts
  • Snacks
  • Holidays
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • All Recipes
  • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbooks!
  • Our Story
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • All Recipes
    • Recipe Filter
    • Cookbooks!
    • Our Story
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Easy Dinners > Quick Dinner Ideas

    Baked Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

    Published: Aug 17, 2023 · Modified: Sep 28, 2023 by Melissa · Leave a Comment

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Mail
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Pin that reads Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole with rice in a bowl
    Pin that reads Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
    Pin that reads Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole with a spoon POV scooping out of a white bowl
    Pin that reads Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

    Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is a classic comfort dish for a good reason! It’s rich, creamy, cheesy, and oh-so filling. This one dish, four-step recipe is about as tasty and easy as it gets! 

    Chicken broccoli rice casserole is a dish that does it all! Each bite is packed with protein, veggies, and fiber, making it a well-rounded, one dish meal. Plus, this casserole-style dinner complements almost any event or function.

    small bowls of chicken broccoli rice casserole

    Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

    Serve this cheesy casserole at your next dinner party, take it to the neighborhood potluck, or drop it off for a friend in need. You can even prep this dish ahead of time and store it in the freezer for months; perfect for when you need a hearty and nutritious meal in a pinch!

    Give this creamy, salty casserole a bit of a kick with some spicy ingredient swaps! Trade the shredded cheddar cheese for pepper jack and the grilled chicken for a spicy breaded or glazed chicken. You can also toss in some red pepper flakes, buffalo sauce, diced jalapeños, or tabasco to really turn up the heat! The resulting spicy chicken broccoli rice casserole might be even more addicting than the original!

    Combine two classic comfort dishes to create chicken broccoli bacon ranch casserole! Simply add some crispy chopped bacon and a packet of ranch dressing mix to the rice mixture. Bake, serve, and enjoy as normal!

    Not a huge fan of broccoli? You can omit it or swap it out for another type of vegetable. Cauliflower, peas, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, and asparagus would all be great additions to this dish.

    small bowls of chicken broccoli rice casserole

    Ingredient Notes

    • Grilled Chicken—Cut into bite-sized pieces. You can also use any leftover shredded, baked, or rotisserie chicken you might have on hand.
    • Broccoli—Cooked until fork tender.
    • White Rice—Boiled according to package directions.
    • Cheddar Cheese—Shredded.
    • Chicken Broth—Creates a savory, salty, and creamy base for this casserole.
    • Spices—A 50/50 blend of garlic powder and minced onion.

    How to Make Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

    1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the white rice, chicken broth, grilled chicken, broccoli, garlic powder, minced onion, and most of the cheddar cheese.
    2. Transfer this mixture to a well-greased baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
    3. Bake until the casserole base is bubbly and the cheese on top has slightly browned.
    4. Serve warm and enjoy!
    raw ingredients for broccoli rice casserole in portioned dishes

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you cook rice before adding it to casserole?

    For this recipe, you need to completely cook the rice before adding it to the casserole. Uncooked rice takes a long time to soften in the oven—by the time it’s no longer crunchy, the broccoli would be mush. The good news is that you can use almost any kind of precooked rice in this dish—minute rice, jasmine, brown, and cauliflower rice all work!

    What to serve with broccoli rice casserole?

    I like serving this comfort dish alongside other classic and hearty side dishes. Homemade dinner rolls, roasted smashed potatoes, creamed corn, and bacon-wrapped asparagus are some of my favorite sides to pair with this casserole.

    Do you cook casserole covered or uncovered?

    Because all the ingredients in this casserole are precooked, you can bake it uncovered! You want a lot of the moisture in this dish to evaporate so that your broccoli chicken rice casserole comes out creamy and scoopable.

    top view of wooden spoon scooping chicken broccoli rice casserole from the baking dish

    How to Store Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

    If you have any cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole leftover, I recommend storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Any leftover casserole can be reheated in the microwave in 30-second increments; don’t forget to stir it periodically! Heat until warmed through and add an extra splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems too dry.

    Chicken broccoli rice casserole is also a great dish to make ahead of time! Simply prepare the dish as normal, top it with shredded cheddar cheese, cover it with a layer of plastic wrap or tin foil, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow any frozen casserole to thaw overnight before baking as normal.

    Expert Tips and Tricks

    • You can used steamed frozen broccoli or sautéed fresh broccoli in this dish; both are delicious!
    • I like to use a sharp cheddar cheese because I find that the flavor cuts through the creaminess of this dish quite nicely. However, you can also use a medium or mild cheddar in this chicken broccoli rice casserole.
    • If possible, shred your own cheese to use in this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese won’t melt as well, leaving your casserole goopy instead of thick and creamy.
    • Boost the homecooked flavor of this dish by replacing the dried spices with fresh garlic and onion! Sauté these two vegetables together until softened before adding them to the casserole.
    top view of uncooked whole baking dish with chicken broccoli rice casserole

    More Recipes

    • Sloppy Joe Casserole
    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
    • Taco Casserole
    • Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

    If you’ve tried this Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe or any other recipe on Bless This Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

    📖 Recipe

    top view of whole baking dish with chicken broccoli rice casserole
    Print Recipe
    4.09 from 12 votes

    Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

    Chicken broccoli rice casserole is a dish that does it all! Each bite is packed with protein, veggies, and fiber, making it a well-rounded, one dish meal.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Dinner
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 430kcal
    Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups cooked white rice
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • 2 cups diced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken
    • 2 cups cooked broccoli frozen broccoli works great
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 3 cups cheddar cheese divided

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
    • While the oven is preheating, combine the rice, chicken broth, grilled chicken, broccoli, garlic powder, onion powder, and 2 cups of cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl.
    • Transfer the casserole mixture to a large baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
    • Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    • We have tried this recipe with instant rice, long grain rice, basmati, and jasmine rice. It doesn't really matter what type of rice you use as long as it is cooked before it goes into the casserole.
    • We prefer to use sharp cheddar cheese, but you can also use mild or medium.
    • In addition to using diced grilled chicken, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken. We like to grab a Costco chicken to use in this recipe.
    • You can store your leftover casserole in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or transferred to an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat your leftovers in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes.
    • For this recipe, we used cooked frozen broccoli, but you can also use freshly cooked broccoli.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 553mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 809IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 429mg | Iron: 1mg
    Pin that reads Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole with rice in a bowl

    You are going to love this one dish meal that is Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole. Great for a busy weeknight meal and tasty enough for a Sunday dinner. I am excited for you to try it!

    « Crustless Quiche Recipe
    Coconut Pecan Frosting »
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Mail
    Craving More

    Take the hassle out of meal planning with: Dinner Made Easy, a FREE 1 week meal plan with full shopping list, easy dinners, nutrition information, serving suggestions for each meal, and more!

    Subscribe Now
    about me

    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I’M MELISSA, AND I WANT TO HELP YOU GET DINNER ON THE TABLE.

    Welcome! I’m Melissa and I'm here to help you make meals your entire family will love. As a mom of five, I know the importance of simple family-friendly recipes. Let’s get cooking!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Shrimp Stir Fry
    • a plate stacked with chocolate chip cookies next to a bag of semi sweet chocolate morsels
      The Original Toll House Cookie Recipe
    • two sourdough starters in glass canning jar
      How to Make a Sourdough Starter
    • chicken and dumplings in white bowl on blue and white towel
      Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Soup
    • sourdough bread in dutch oven with red handles
      My Favorite Go-To Sourdough Bread Recipe
    • Easy Apple Pie Recipe | Classic Apple Dessert Recipe For Thanksgiving!
      Easy Apple Pie Recipe (Using Fresh Apples)

    Halloween Recipes

    • 6 golden orange pancakes on a cooling rack
      Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes
    • pumpkin cake in a sheet pan with a caramel icing on top
      Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Caramel Frosting
    • top left picture is iced sugar cookies, top right picture is of cupcakes, bottom left picture is a haunted gingerbread house, and bottom right picture is of Oreo spiders
      Haunted Halloween Treats
    • picture of a haunted gingerbread house with marshmallow ghosts
      Haunted Halloween Gingerbread House
    • spiderweb Halloween cupcakes on a wire rack
      Spiderweb Halloween Cupcakes
    • uncut cookie bars on a cutting board
      Halloween Candy Cookie Bars
    Dinner Made Easy

    Get Recipes & More for Free!

    Get my FREE Dinner Made Easy meal plan, exclusive recipes, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes updates! Get my newsletter or a new recipe every day! Unsubscribe if you aren’t into it.

    Subscribe Now

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Tools.
    • Terms Of Service.
    • Accessibility.
    • Bylaws.

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Us
    • Cookbook FAQ
    • Find A Recipe!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 blessthismessplease.com. All rights reserved.

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter