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    šŸ Home Ā» Recipes Ā» Casserole Recipes

    Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

    Jan 31, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan Ā· 14 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.54 from 26 votes

    Cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is made from scratch with no cans of soup needed and a fabulous buttery Parmesan topping. Easy enough for a great weeknight dinner or made ahead for later.

    fork full of casserole
    Jump To:
    • 😊Why you want to make this recipe
    • šŸ“Ingredients
    • šŸ‘Øā€šŸ³How to Make Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole
    • ā¬‡ļøMaking this casserole more "for two" friendly
    • šŸ“†How to make this casserole ahead for later.
    • ā“FAQs
    • šŸ“–Comfort Food Recipes
    • šŸ–¼ļøStep-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • šŸ“Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    😊Why you want to make this recipe

    • Wonderful comfort food with cheesy sauce, tender chicken and broccoli, and great crunchy Parmesan topping.
    • Works great for leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken.
    • No can of soup.
    • It uses everyday ingredients and comes together quickly with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions.
    • It stores well but is also easy to cut in half for a "for two" friendly meal.

    My "inspiration" recipe came from Food.com Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole. It had most of the right stuff—no can of soup, not too many ingredients, but it lacked chicken. It needed some simplification, added details in spots, some chicken, and a great topping.

    šŸ“Ingredients

    • Chicken—Skinless boneless chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey
    • Rice—long-grain rice
    • Chicken broth—low sodium
    • Broccoli—fresh or frozen
    • Aromatics—onion and garlic
    • Pantry ingredients—mayonnaise, salt, pepper, milk
    • Cheese—mild cheddar or Monterey Jack
    • Topping—Panko bread crumbs, butter, Parmesan cheese

    šŸ‘Øā€šŸ³How to Make Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole

    1. Chop broccoli into bite-size florets and cook in chicken broth with the rice.
    2. Chop the onion and the chicken breasts. Saute the chicken and onion in butter until the chicken is 165°. Near the end of cooking the chicken, add the garlic.
    3. Combine rice and broccoli with the chicken, add milk, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and shredded cheese—mix well.
    4. Mix the topping—Panko bread crumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese.
    5. Pour chicken mixture into a 9 X 13 casserole dish and top with shredded cheese, then add the breadcrumb mixture.
    6. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
    7. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving to absorb fluid.

    ā¬‡ļøMaking this casserole more "for two" friendly

    • For a half recipe, which is 4 large servings, use a 6 by 9 or an 8-inch square baking dish.
    • Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to 4.
    • Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
    • Cook for about the same amount of time.
    • Consider that leftovers store well, and a half recipe will take about the same work.

    šŸ“†How to make this casserole ahead for later.

    It is a perfect dish to make ahead. Before storing it for later, assemble the casserole and let it cool to room temperature.

    To refrigerate, cover airtight with plastic wrap and store for 2-3 days.

    To freeze, cover airtight with plastic wrap, then a layer or two of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    To finish baking, if frozen, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then proceed with baking until golden brown and bubbling—it will take a few more minutes since the casserole is cold going into the oven

    ā“FAQs

    Can I use rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey?

    You can use pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken or turkey leftovers. You will need about 4 cups. More or less should be OK. If you use pre-cooked turkey or chicken, add it when combining the cooked rice with other ingredients.

    Can I use frozen broccoli?

    Yes, measure by volume. A good size head of broccoli will make about 2 cups of fresh broccoli. So use 2 cups of frozen, but more or less is fine; it is a casserole. A standard 12 oz frozen bag will be about 3 cups but varies. So the whole package would generally be fine.

    How to store leftovers?

    Cooked leftovers are easy to store. In the refrigerator, covered well for 3-4 days. Or frozen for 3-4 months.

    Reheat after thawing overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, covered in a 350° oven. A microwave can be used but may affect the texture.

    šŸ“–Comfort Food Recipes

    Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini

    Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole with Parmesan Topping

    Cheesy American Goulash

    Simple Chicken Pot Pie

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Casserole Recipes, Comfort Food Recipes, Turkey Recipes
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    šŸ–¼ļøStep-by-Step Photo Instructions

    raw chicken with broccoli and other ingredients

    Preheat oven to 375°.

    chopped broccoli on black board with knife

    Chop one head of broccoli into bite-size pieces or use 2-3 cups of frozen broccoli.

    cooking broccoli in sauce pan

    Bring 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups of long-grain rice and broccoli. Cover and lower heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes until fluid is absorbed.

    trimmed and chopped chicken on red board

    While rice is cooking, chop one small onion and cube two skinless boneless chicken breasts into ½ inch pieces.

    raw chicken and onion cooking in fry pan

    Over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, then add the chicken and onions. Cook until onion is translucent and chicken is 165° internally. About 1 minute before the endpoint, add 3-4 cloves crushed garlic—about 9-10 minutes total.

    adding cooked rice and broccoli to cooked chicken in fry pan

    Remove the chicken from the heat and combine the rice with the chicken. Then add ½ cup milk, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 ½ cups of mild shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese—mix well.

    adding melted butter to bread crumbs in bowl

    Mix the topping of 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.

    adding topping to casserole

    Spray a 9 X 13 casserole dish with PAM and add the mixture. Top with ½ cup of mild shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Then add the breadcrumb topping.

    browned casserole in dish

    Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

    casserole in large spoon

    Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving to absorb fluid. Do not skip this step.

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    šŸ“Recipe

    fork full of casserole

    Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is made from scratch with no cans of soup needed and a fabulous buttery ParmesanĀ topping. Easy enough for a great weeknight dinner or made ahead for later.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.54 from 26 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 8

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 ½ cups long-grain rice
    • 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
    • 1 head broccoli-fresh or frozen - about 2-3 cups chopped into bite size pieces
    • 1-1 ½ pound skinless boneless chicken breast - trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
    • 1 onion - small diced
    • 3-4 cloves garlic - crushed
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ cups milk
    • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese

    Topping

    • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
    • 3 tablespoons butter - melted
    • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°.
      raw chicken with broccoli and other ingredients
    • Chop one head of broccoli into bite-size pieces or use 2-3 cups of frozen broccoli.
      chopped broccoli on black board with knife
    • Bring 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups of long-grain rice and broccoli. Cover and lower heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes until fluid is absorbed.
      cooking broccoli in sauce pan
    • While rice is cooking, chop one small onion and cube two skinless boneless chicken breasts into ½ inch pieces.
      trimmed and chopped chicken on red board
    • Over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, then add the chicken and onions. Cook until onion is translucent and chicken is 165° internally. About 1 minute before the endpoint, add 3-4 cloves crushed garlic—about 9-10 minutes total.
      raw chicken and onion cooking in fry pan
    • Remove the chicken from the heat and combine the rice with the chicken. Then add ½ cup milk, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 ½ cups of mild shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese—mix well.
      adding cooked rice and broccoli to cooked chicken in fry pan
    • Mix the topping of 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
      adding melted butter to bread crumbs in bowl
    • Spray a 9 X 13 casserole dish with PAM and add the mixture. Top with ½ cup of mild shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Then add the breadcrumb topping.
      adding topping to casserole
    • Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
      casserole in large spoon
    • Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving to absorb fluid. Do not skip this step.
      fork full of casserole
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. This is an easy recipe to cut in half. Use a 6 by 9 or 8-inch square dish.
    2. The endpoint for cooking is the color since things are already cooked.
    3. You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey—about 4 cups. Add it with the shredded cheese.
    4. Frozen broccoli is fine. Use about 2-3 cups.
    5. This is a casserole, the amount of chicken and broccoli can vary some to account for what you have on hand.
    6. I like the Monterey Jack cheese, but most will use mild cheddar cheese.
    7. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and should freeze for 3-4 months.
    8. This casserole is a great make-ahead recipe—details are discussed in the post.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 483 Calories from Fat 171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 19g29%
    Saturated Fat 10g50%
    Cholesterol 99mg33%
    Sodium 659mg27%
    Potassium 762mg22%
    Carbohydrates 43g14%
    Fiber 3g12%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 34g68%
    Vitamin A 972IU19%
    Vitamin C 70mg85%
    Calcium 330mg33%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    Ā© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally Published October 23, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    More Casserole Recipes

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    • Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini with Parmesan Topping

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    1. Sue

      August 03, 2020 at 11:26 am

      Mayo is something we don't use, don't have in house, would Greek yogurt be an acceptable substitute ?

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        August 03, 2020 at 11:30 am

        Hi Sue,

        The yogurt should be fine or just skip the mayo. It is a casserole and will be fine.

        Dan

      • Brad

        September 05, 2020 at 9:11 pm

        Can brown rice be used instead of long grain rice? If yes, how does the recipe change?

        Thanks

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        September 05, 2020 at 9:27 pm

        Hi Brad,

        Welcome to the blog.

        We are not brown rice people so I can not give specific directions. I would say you probably can cook your brown rice in chicken broth separately. And the broccoli separately, I hesitate to do the broccoli with the brown rice since it generally will take longer and the broccoli would be overcooked.

        That is just a guess. You can decide.

        Dan

    2. Cerwyn

      August 07, 2017 at 10:26 am

      Can this be frozen? I'm trying to make some freezer meals for when the baby comes! Thank u! Your website is wonderful and I've learned so much from it!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        August 07, 2017 at 10:38 am

        Hi Cerwyn,
        Yes and not so much. It would definitely freeze and come out well but I'm not the biggest fan of rice that has been frozen. I think it effect the texture some. Having said that, it will freeze just as good as any other rice dish and many are sold frozen.

    3. Cerwyn

      February 06, 2017 at 12:07 pm

      Dr. u r my hero 4 this recipe. I'm 10 weeks pregnant and everything makes me sick but carbs. Unfortunately, just rice or spaghetti and tomato sauce doesn't have the vitamins or protein I need. This casserole is my answer! I loved it and it didn't make me sick! With the exception of 3 small pieces for my husband and daughter I ate the whole thing! Lol. 5 stars. Really wonderful! Thank u! Also used bag of frozen broccoli and it was perfect.

      Reply
    4. Brenda Conley

      November 26, 2016 at 8:16 pm

      Can this be frozen and baked later?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 26, 2016 at 8:30 pm

        Yes and no. Like most casseroles, it can freeze but it is my opinion that casseroles with rice just don't do very well. I think the freezing breaks down the rice some changing the texture. So I just wouldn't do it.

      • Marie Jensen

        August 25, 2020 at 4:43 pm

        5 stars
        I think you need to change the ā€œservers 4ā€ to ā€œserves1ā€.
        I’ve never cooked with mayonnaise before but this was great!!!
        I had a bag of ā€œsteam-fresh broccoli in my freezer (random!) and everything else in my larder so I thought ā€˜why not?’ It was delicious!
        And, no, I did not finish it in one seating!
        HEY! DOCTOR DAN!
        Can you do a recipe for salmon cakes using canned salmon? I’m not big on the tuna/mercury thing. I would appreciate it!

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        August 25, 2020 at 6:18 pm

        Hi Marie,

        Welcome to the blog. Glad you enjoyed this recipe.

        But, the salmon cakes will not be happening. My wife grew up on them and has a great hatrid of them. I'm lucky to get away with a fresh salmon recipe occasionally.

        Thanks for the note and rating.

        Dan

    5. Sandra

      October 26, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      So, an update. We really liked this. Easy to assemble and very tasty. I''d give it 4.5 stars but don't know how to mark the stars. Can't give it 5 because H said he couldn't live on this alone, lol. It looks a bit drab n the plate so I sautƩed some cherry toms with garlic as a side for colour, nice complement. Cheddar cheese livens up the colour too. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 26, 2016 at 1:15 pm

        The rating works by clicking on the stars in the recipe card area.

        I think 4.5 is correct. Exactly what my wife wanted to give but I wouldn't let her have a decimal point.

    6. Sandra

      October 24, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      I'm glad you're back, I enjoy your recipes. I'm going to try this tomorrow and then I'll rate it. I cook mostly with fresh unprocessed ingredients (retired also) but I have no problem with the occasional can of mushroom soup. It sometimes just fits the bill and a pkg of Stuffing for the crumbs. Keep cooking.

      Reply

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