Broccoli Chicken & Rice Casserole

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In this broccoli chicken and rice casserole, broccoli, rice and chicken are baked in a homemade sauce (NO canned soups) for a delicious, hearty & nutritious dinner recipe that’s easy to prepare.

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole on a plate garnished with parsley


I recently realized I needed more casserole recipes in our repertoire. So I created this broccoli chicken and rice casserole.

I think I shied away from casseroles because so many of them call for canned soups and other processed ingredients. So I created the most delicious chicken and rice casserole with a from-scratch sauce.

This broccoli chicken and rice casserole is a hearty and healthy main dish that your entire family will love!

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole in a baking dish with a wooden spoon

Chicken and Rice Casserole: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe
  • White rice. brown rice or wild rice work as well, you will just need to increase the cooking time because those varieties take longer to cook than white rice.
  • Broccoli. I prefer using fresh broccoli florets, but I have also used frozen with great results. Be sure to cut the broccoli into small pieces so it cooks well.
  • Salted butter. unsalted butter works well too.
  • Onion. use yellow, white or red onion in this recipe.
  • Minced garlic. freshly minced or jarred both work well.
  • Whole milk. 2% milk or half and half are good substitutes. I do not recommend using fat-free milk. 
  • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour if desired. Also bread flour works well in a pinch. 
  • Chicken broth. use store-bought or homemade.
  • Better Than Bouillon Chicken base. This is my favorite chicken base by far and imparts the best flavor. You can use another brand or bouillon cubes or chicken broth/stock if necessary.
Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole in a baking dish

How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole

It takes about 5 minutes to make the sauce for this recipe, and then all you need ot do is assemble and bake. Follow the step-by-step instructions below, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Make the Sauce

Begin by making the by whisking together milk, flour, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a medium bowl.

two photos showing how to make Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole sauce

Then, in a 5-quart saucepan, cook butter, garlic and onion together until onion is soft.

Next, add the chicken broth and chicken base to the saucepan, whisk to combine and bring to a boil.

two photos showing how to make Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole sauce

Once the mixture is boiling, add the milk mixture and cook over medium-high heat until thickened (1-2 minutes).

two photos showing how to make Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole sauce

Assemble & Bake

Once the sauce is finished, it’s time to assemble the chicken and rice casserole. Combine the sauce, rice and chicken breasts in a 9×13” baking dish.

two photos showing how to assemble a Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

Then, cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

a baking dish covered in aluminum foil

After 30 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and stir in the broccoli, cover and cook 25 to 30 more minutes until rice is tender.

Remove the foil in the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the top and thicken the sauce

two photos showing how to make Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole - adding broccoli

Serve

Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving warm. The rice soaks in more liquid as it cools and the casserole thickens up.

Serve warm with garnished with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole in a baking dish after baking

I usually serve this chicken rice casserole warm as a complete meal (no side dishes). You can absolutely add some sides if you wish!

a wooden spoon scooping Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole out of a baking dish

Store

Store leftover chicken broccoli rice casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven or on the stovetop.

Freeze

I suggest freezing this casserole after baking so you just need to reheat it and serve. You can freeze the entire casserole or individual servings.

a fork taking a bite of Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

Broccoli Chicken & Rice Casserole Recipe FAQs

Can you cook raw chicken with rice?

Yes, just be sure to bake the recipe long enough to ensure the chicken is cooked all the way.

Should rice be cooked before adding to casserole?

In this recipe, the rice is added before it’s cooked.

Do you bake chicken casserole covered or uncovered?

This chicken rice casserole is baked covered for 30 minutes, and uncovered the remaining 20 minutes.

How long does it take for rice to cook in a casserole?

It takes 50-60 minutes for rice to cook in a casserole.

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole on a plate with a fork

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Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

Laura
This broccoli chicken and rice casserole is a simple, hearty main dish. In this chicken rice casserole, broccoli, rice and chicken are baked in a homemade sauce (NO canned soups) for a delicious and nutritious dinner recipe that’s easy to prepare.
5 from 12 votes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 240
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cubed
  • 10 ounces broccoli florets cut into small pieces

Sauce

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the Sauce

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, flour, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder.
  • In a 5-quart saucepan, cook butter, garlic and onion together until onion is soft.
  • Add chicken broth and chicken base to the saucepan, whisk to combine and bring to a boil.
  • One the mixture is boiling, add the milk mixture and cook over medium-high heat until thickened (1-2 minutes).

Assemble & Bake

  • Add the sauce, rice and chicken breasts to a 9×13” baking dish.
  • Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and stir in broccoli, cover and cook 25 to 30 more minutes until rice is tender. Remove the foil in the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the top and thicken the sauce

Cool & Serve

  • Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving warm. The rice soaks in more liquid as it cools and the casserole thickens up.
  • Serve warm with garnished with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions
  • White rice. brown rice or wild rice work as well, you will just need to increase the cooking time because those varieties take longer to cook than white rice.
  • Broccoli. I prefer using fresh broccoli florets, but I have also used frozen with great results. Be sure to cut the broccoli into small pieces so it cooks well.
  • Salted butter. unsalted butter works well too.
  • Onion. use yellow, white or red onion in this recipe.
  • Minced garlic. freshly minced or jarred both work well.
  • Whole milk. 2% milk or half and half are good substitutes. I do not recommend using fat-free milk. 
  • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour if desired. Also bread flour works well in a pinch. 
  • Chicken broth. use store-bought or homemade.
  • Better Than Bouillon Chicken base. This is my favorite chicken base by far and imparts the best flavor. You can use another brand or bouillon cubes or chicken broth/stock if necessary.
Store
Store leftover chicken broccoli rice casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven or on the stovetop.
Freeze
I suggest freezing this casserole after baking so you just need to reheat it and serve. You can freeze the entire casserole or individual servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 560mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Rating




13 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you for this delicious homemade recipe. The sauce takes it over the top. I don’t like using soup because of the MSG and other unhealthy ingredients. This was heavenly.

  2. 5 stars
    It was fine, but I would change the way I cook it. The rice I added to the broth while it was simmering or boiling, before adding to the chicken, because boneless chicken does not need that much time to cook or the broccoli. Good but at first chicken seem over cooked. I used wild rice. Or I could add the sauce over the almost done chicken, prepared rice and broccoli until the broccoli is done in the oven 😃 Anyway, thank you for your recipe. It was good. Nothing is getting wasted.

    I thought I forgot to rate it

  3. 5 stars
    What actually us better than bouillon? There is nothing like it where I live. Ordinary powder and cubes but nothing like the better than bouillon. Help?

  4. 5 stars
    This recipe is perfect. I loath condensed soup cans and felt this was much easier to control. Do you know how I could adjust the recipe to use riced cauliflower rather than rice?

    1. Hello! Ok – so I am not a fan of cauliflower masquerading as a replacement for grains like rice and bread! 😉 The only way I could suggest using it would be if you used already cooked chicken (e.g. got a rotisserie chicken, baked some chicken breasts, or made shredded chicken). The cauliflower will cook significantly faster than the chicken and will turn into mush if you try to just use it as a rice replacement. So you would also need to decrease the baking time.

  5. I mixed my broccoli into casserole before I baked. Should I try to remove it before I bake it. Will it work if all ingredients are baked at one time. So mad at myself.

    1. The broccoli will likely be overcooked if it’s baked the full amount of time, please tell me what you decided to do and how it turned out.

  6. 5 stars
    I made this recipe and it turned out great. Making the sauce was a little more labor intensive than opening a can of soup but soooo worth it. I added some freshly shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce and on top in final stage of cooking. I also use the “Better than Bullion” to make the chicken broth, it really is the best bullion and I’ve been using it for years in all of my soups and stews.
    Thank You! I will be making this again and again!
    PS: Not so sure about the 12 servings. If I were making for 12 people I would have to make two of these because everyone will want seconds and 1 cup of this delicious meal wouldn’t be enough lol.

  7. 5 stars
    This was really yummy. I used chicken thighs (just cooked a little longer at 160 celsius)
    and a bit extra salt and pepper. For the last 5 minutes of cooking time I added some mozzarella cheese. I liked the fact I did not have to pre cook the rice, chicken or broccoli as I never have time for that.
    Thanks so much for this recipe 👌

      1. 5 stars
        I loved this recipe the only issue is that the rice didn’t fully cook and I followed instructions. I will try again but probably cook the rice for ten minutes and then pour in the casserole to bake, perhaps this will do the trick.