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Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole with spoon.
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5 from 15 votes

Easy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole

Easy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole is a one pot wonder that’s sure to become a family favorite. With the combination of chicken, rice, broccoli, and of course cheese, you know it’s going to be delicious. It can be made ahead of time and produces awesome leftovers.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 494kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (16 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup (See Tip 3)
  • ½ cup (4 ounces) mayonnaise (See Tip 4)
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 12 ounce package of frozen broccoli florets (See Tip 1)
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese, divided (See Tip 2)
  • ½ cup bread crumbs (See Tip 5)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I usually add around ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 2 ½ quart or 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with non-sticck vegetable spray. Set aside.
  • Cook chicken in 1 Tablespoon melted butter in a skillet over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside.
  • Whisk together cream of mushroom soup and mayonnaise in a large bowl.
  • Add chicken, rice, broccoli, and 1 cup of shredded cheese to the soup mixture. Stir well to combine. Taste to see if salt and/or pepper should be added.
  • Transfer to a prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Dot with remaining butter. (See Tip 6)
  • Bake in preheated 350° F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings. (See Tip 7)

Video

Notes

  1. You can use 4 cups of fresh broccoli florets in place of the frozen broccoli. Blanch the fresh broccoli for 2 minutes, submerge in ice water and drain well. I like my broccoli crisp tender. Therefore, I don't thaw or cook the frozen broccoli. Don't be tempted to use frozen broccoli pieces. My experience is that the pieces are mainly the tough stems.
  2. I like to use extra sharp Cheddar cheese, but feel free to use sharp Cheddar cheese or regular cheddar cheese.
  3. You can use cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom soup.
  4. If you don't want to use mayonnaise, you can use sour cream instead.
  5. Rather than bread crumbs, you can use crushed Ritz crackers, crushed corn flakes or Panko bread crumbs..
  6. Instead of making one large casserole, divide the mixture between two smaller casserole dishes. Bake one and freeze the other for another time.
  7. Leftovers, if any, can be reheated for several minutes in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1070IU | Vitamin C: 25.7mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 7.6mg