Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole (From Scratch!)
A homemade recipe for chicken, broccoli and rice casserole made completely from scratch with a cheesy cream sauce and topped with buttered breadcrumbs.
It’s been quite a long time since I made a casserole, so when I asked my husband last week if he was hungry for anything in particular on Sunday and he said “a broccoli casserole”, I jumped at the opportunity to make one. My great aunt used to make a killer broccoli casserole on Sundays growing up, and I put a homemade spin on it a couple of years ago. While I could have made that again as a side dish, I took it a step further and decided to make a main dish casserole with chicken, broccoli and rice. I know that’s a popular recipe, so I did some searching for a good recipe and was disappointed when I couldn’t find one that was completely homemade. So, I made my own!
I made a huge batch of chicken breasts in the slow cooker on Friday night and used some of it for this casserole, which made the prep work significantly easier. If you’re looking for an easy shortcut, picking up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store would be a great way to cut the prep time. I also made a batch of rice the day before and used pre-cut, pre-washed broccoli to keep this recipe as simple as possible. I didn’t cook the broccoli before adding it to the recipe and it was al-dente in flavor (which I like), but if you prefer super soft broccoli, I would par-boil them.
For the sauce, I made the base sauce for my favorite macaroni and cheese and added some cheddar cheese, which turned out to be the perfect vessel for serving the chicken, broccoli, rice and mushrooms.
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address, and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
I used panko breadcrumbs for the topping of this casserole, but you could use plain breadcrumbs, Italian breadcrumbs, or even Ritz crackers!
Now that we’re heading into the blustery winter months, I’m excited to start recreating more homemade versions of casseroles… Do you have a favorite?
Watch the Recipe Video Below:
More Cozy Chicken Recipes:
- Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- Traditional Chicken Pot Pie
- Easy Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
- White Chicken Chili
Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole (From Scratch!)
Ingredients
For the Casserole
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (732 ml) whole milk
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups (560 g) cubed cooked chicken, 3-4 chicken breasts
- 4 cups (364 g) broccoli florets, about 1 pound
- 2 cups (316 g) cooked rice
For the Topping
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (60 g) plain or Panko breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked down and all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a separate bowl.
- In the same pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, until the flour starts to brown a bit and smells nutty, whisking constantly. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the milk. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer.
- Once the sauce comes to a simmer, whisk in the cheddar cheese, adding a handful at a time and whisking until completely melted before adding the next handful. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
- Add the chicken, broccoli, rice and cooked mushrooms to the sauce. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is completely combined and evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the breadcrumbs (or Ritz crackers).
- Sprinkle the casserole with the ½ cup of shredded cheese. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the cheese.
- Bake until browned and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
this was delicious, creamy and cheesy! I couldn’t find cremini, so used white mushrooms, I did keep the pan drippings from frying the chicken cubes, but other than that, I made the recipe as directed.
My family loved it.
this was delicious, creamy and cheesy! I couldn’t find cremini, so used white mushrooms, I did keep the pan drippings from frying the chicken cubes, but other than that, I made the recipe as directed.
My family loved it.
Looks soooooo good!!! I did it minus the mushrooms
Haven’t made it yet
The 30 min prep time might make more sense if 2 or 3 are working on it. I would appreciate it if that was modified for
Longer bc I start these recipes with prep time in mind. Cooking rice and cooking chicken before you even start the basic process takes about 30 min alone. Very frustrating
Hi Michelle, I made this wonderful casserole today. So fun and so impressive. The only thing I changed was my love for shiitake mushrooms. I have now made 3 of your recipes with rotisserie chicken what a time saver!
Made this again tonight, SO good!!
I am a really good cook. I am experienced and follow recipes well. I noticed early that there isn’t any seasoning in this recipe except salt and pepper to taste. So I added seasoning though not enough to accentuate the milk and rice. As I mixed the ingredients it was clear as well that there wasn’t enough liquid for 2 cups of rice. So I added a cup and a half of chicken broth. It still came out bland and dry. My kids did like the crumb topping.
Delicious!! Big hit, my husband ate a 3rd helping tonight
How far in advance can you make this?
Up to one day.
How many servings in this 9×13 pan?
Made this tonight. didn’t have enough broccoli so did half and half with cauliflower. It was very tasty. I will make it again. Super easy to make.
Just came out of the oven my family LOVED it! My husband can’t stop saying how good it is! Thanks so much for this recipe i used too make a really bland chicken rice casserole with yuck cream of chicken and that came out with no flavor and no ate it! This recipe they about and even came back for more! My very picky 15 year old loved it as well this will go into rotation! 😊
Hi Angela, I’m so thrilled to hear your family enjoyed this recipe!
So so good! I couldn’t wait for dinner tonight because I had made this before and was making it again tonight! I got to Trader Joe’s and get their pre-cooked chicken, fresh broccoli in a bag and brown rice (also in a bag) and can pop both in the microwave. This meal is a snap and is one of my new favorites!
This was delicious! The only thing I did different was add some Parmesan cheese in with the cheese. The flavor was wonderful..was not overly salted. Adding to my list of recipes!
Delicious. I added one jalapeño to give it a kick.