This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the ultimate comfort food. A layer of creamy chicken and rice is topped with broccoli, cheese and crackers. Packed with delicious ingredients, every fork full is loaded with flavor and a delightful crunch. This is the perfect casserole recipe for hungry families.
Quick & Easy Meal
We love cozy comfort food recipes that are easy to make! Casserole recipes are like our ultimate chicken casserole and beef carrot and rice casserole and of course this chicken brococli rice casserole are perfect for the ultimate comfort dish.
This recipe is easy – A creamy sauce made from sour cream and cream of chicken soup is mixed with bite sized chicken pieces, jasmine rice and broccoli. Shredded cheese and crumbled ritz crackers are sprinkled on top.
Everything is dumped together in one casserole dish, even the raw chicken! It’s baked in 45 minutes and served in no time.
- QUICK ASSEMBLY – I love a good dump-and-bake recipe, don’t you? This recipe is prepared in 10 minutes and bakes worry-free while you focus on other important things.
- ONE POT DINNER – Only dish pot is needed which means less cleanup!
- EASY TO MAKE – Most of the ingredients are probably already in your cupboard and fridge. The rest are cheap and can be found at any local grocery store.
- FAMILY FRIENDLY – The flavors in this recipe tend to be a hit with most if not all family members. Chicken, rice and broccoli in creamy sauce, and topped with cheese and crackers – what’s not to love?
Recipe Ingredients
Save this recipe for a night when you don’t feel like putting in too much effort. Most of the ingredients can be dumped right into the casserole dish.
CHICKEN – This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can use leftovers from a previous chicken recipe, or a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
RITZ CRACKERS – Ritz crackers are a classic on many casserole recipes. This will make a wonderful crunchy and flavourful topping that makes this meal so comforting. You can also use saltine crackers, croutons or crushed tortilla chips.
CHEDDAR CHEESE – Shredded cheddar cheese will give the best flavor.
BROCCOLI – I used a bag of pre-cut broccoli florets. You can also use frozen broccoli, but it will need to be thawed and blotted with paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
RICE – I used jasmine rice for this dish. It is important to use white long grain rice (not brown rice) to ensure proper cooking. Wild rice will require more liquid and take longer to cook, so don’t use it.
CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP – Cream of chicken soup is the base of the sauce. Cream of broccoli or cream of mushroom soup will also work and be as equally delicious.
CHICKEN BROTH – If you have some broth left over from a previous recipe, use it in this one for added flavor. If not, use 1 cup of water instead.
MILK & SOUR CREAM – Any milk will work, but whole milk will provide the most creaminess. You can use sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
SPICES – Black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning will bring the flavors out.
BUTTER – 2 Tbsp of salted butter is mixed with the crackers for the perfect crunchy topping.
Pro Tip: Avoid using minute rice, it will cook too fast the result will be too mushy. Short-grain rice tends to stick together like sushi rice. Jasmine rice is just perfect for this recipe.
Flavor Additions
It’s easy to add other vegetables to this recipe. Have a look in your fridge and see if you have anything that might work. Here are some suggestions below.
- CORN AND PEAS – Add 1 cup of frozen corn or frozen peas.
- CAULIFLOWER – Swap the broccoli for cauliflower for a more neutral taste. Cauliflower is great for taking on flavors.
- ONIONS – Dice some onion and add it to the creamy sauce.
- GARLIC – Add some minced garlic to this dish for another flavor element.
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Gather all the ingredients and have them ready on the counter. The great thing about this recipe is the short amount of prep time needed to get it in the oven. Here’s how to make the recipe with full details in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
- PREP – Next, chop the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, half the garlic powder, half the Italian seasoning, and half the black pepper.
- CREAMY SAUCE – In a 9×13 baking dish, add the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, milk, and sour cream. Stir this together using a fork or whisk. Then, add the rice in an even layer along the bottom of the dish. Make sure the rice is fully coated in the sauce. Add the broccoli on top of the rice.
- CHICKEN – Add the chicken to the baking dish without mixing in. Sprinkle the remaining garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper over the whole dish.
- BAKE – Cover the dish with tin foil, place on the middle rack in the oven, and bake for 45 minutes.
- CRACKERS – Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave and crush enough Ritz crackers to measure 1 cup. Mix the crackers and butter making sure to evenly coat all the cracker crumbs.
- TOPPING – After 45 minutes of baking, take the dish out of the oven, remove, and discard the tin foil, and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Then, sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the cheese and return it to the oven uncovered for 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
- SERVE – Remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Scoop onto individual plates and enjoy.
Pro Tip: Use the broiler to add a little extra crispiness to the cheese and topping. Just be sure to keep a close eye on it so it does not burn.
How To Store
This is one of those assemble-now-bake-later recipes that are great for preplanned meals. Here are some tips for storing your premade and leftover dishes.
- REFRIGERATE – In the fridge, this recipe will last 2 days uncooked (don’t add the crackers if unbaked) and 3 days fully cooked. Crackers can get a bit soggy over time, the longer you store it.
- FREEZE – You can freeze the precooked dish for 3 months before baking. Just make the cracker topping the day of.
- REHEAT – Reheat this recipe in the microwave for a few minutes or in the oven at 350°F till crisp again.
Ways To Serve
This is a well-rounded casserole recipe that doesn’t require any side dishes. However, if you want to pair it with something, here are a few ideas:
- SALAD – Add a simple garden salad, or greek salad for more veggies.
- BREAD – Serve with toast, biscuits or our dutch oven bread for a more filling meal.
- SOUR CREAM – A spoonful of sour cream will add a little creamy delight to each bite.
Common Questions
Swap it with cream of broccoli or cream of mushroom soup. However, cream of chicken will give the best flavor to this recipe.
Make sure to use white jasmine rice for the best results. Also, make sure the rice is fully coated in the creamy sauce. If the rice isn’t coated in the sauce it won’t have enough moisture to cook properly.
Yes, a rotisserie chicken is always a welcome addition. This is a time saver and will bring a little extra flavor to the dish depending on how it was cooked. You can use 2 cups of chopped chicken.
This chicken broccoli rice casserole uses cheap and easy ingredients to make a filling meal. Jasmine rice, chicken and broccoli are mixed into a creamy sauce (made from sour cream and cream of chicken soup). All topped with cheese and crushed crackers for the ultimate comfort food.
More Casserole Recipes
Casseroles are a total time saver when planning your weekly household menu. Some can be made ahead of time and either refrigerated or frozen. Here are some more favorites to try:
- Tortellini Cheese Casserole
- Mushroom Hamburger Casserole
- Ham Cheese Pasta Casserole
- Beef Cabbage Roll Casserole
- Shredded Barbecue Chicken Casserole
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped chicken breast - boneless skinless
- 10 ½ oz cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken broth - or water
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups uncooked jasmine rice - rinsed under cold water
- 3 cups broccoli florets - thawed if using frozen
- ½ tsp black pepper - divided
- ½ tsp garlic powder - divided
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning - divided
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 2 Tbsp melted butter - salted or unsalted will work
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Chop the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Add to a bowl and toss with olive oil, half of the garlic powder, half of the Italian seasoning, and half of the black pepper.
- Pour the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, milk, and sour cream to a 9×13 baking dish. Stir together.
- Sprinkle the rice over top in an even layer, then press it into the creamy sauce (note: All of the rice should be covered to ensure proper cooking) Add the broccoli florets on top. Do not mix.
- Add the chopped chicken on top of the broccoli. Do not mix the ingredients together. Sprinkle the last half of the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper over top of the entire recipe.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the rice and chicken are cooked.
- While casserole is baking, melt the 2 Tbsp of butter in a bowl in the microwave. Crush enough Ritz crackers to measure 1 cup. Mix the butter and crush crackers together in a bowl.
- Remove the casserole from oven, sprinkle shredded cheese and top with crushed Ritz crackers. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and let cool 10 before scooping onto plates to serve.
Recipe Notes:
- Note: Make sure to use white jasmine rice for best results. Also, make sure the rice is fully coated in the creamy sauce. If the rice isn’t coated in the sauce it won’t have enough moisture to cook properly.
- If using frozen broccoli florets, add them to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through. Drain any excess liquid and pat with paper towel.
- How To Store: In the fridge, this recipe will last 2 days uncooked (don’t add the crackers if unbaked) and 3 days fully cooked. Crackers can get a bit soggy over time, the longer you store it.