I don't know who needs to hear this, but if dinner requires three pots, two skillets, and a sink full of dishes on a Tuesday…I'm out. This dump and bake chicken broccoli rice casserole keeps things simple by cooking everything together in one dish, including the rice. I've been sharing easy weeknight recipes for over 10 years, and this is exactly the kind of meal people come back to again and again.
Here's the tea from brandi
I've tested recipes like this for years, and the biggest secret is making sure the rice has enough flavorful liquid and stays covered while it bakes. Do that, and you'll get perfectly cooked rice instead of crunchy bites. It's simple, dependable comfort food that tastes like you worked a whole lot harder than you actually did. You will also love these casserole recipes: Enchilada Casserole, Chicken Noodle Casserole, and Chicken Pot Pie Casserole.
cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole ingredients
- Chicken Broth
- Garlic
- Cream of Chicken Soup: I like to make my own using flour, milk, broth, and spices. You can also use store-bought condensed soup.
- Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt, and Pepper
- Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
- Long Grain Rice
- Frozen or Fresh Broccoli
- Cheddar Cheese
How to make dump and bake chicken broccoli cheese rice casserole
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prep the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Season the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts or thighs with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Rub the spices into the chicken.
- Make the Sauce: In a 9x13 baking dish, combine the chicken broth, minced garlic, cream of chicken soup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
- Assemble the Casserole: Add the rice, broccoli, seasoned chicken, and 1 cup of grated cheese. Stir to combine. Top with 2 cups of remaining cheese. (You can also wait to add the 2 cups of cheese on top until the end if you want a crunchy cheesy top layer.)
- Cover and Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Add the Cheese: Remove the foil and and return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (If you waited to add the 2 cups of cheese, add it now.)
- Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. This gives the rice time to absorb any remaining liquid and makes the casserole easier to scoop.
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Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole (Dump and Bake)
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds raw skinless chicken breasts or thighs Diced into ½-1 inch chunks
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder Divided into 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder Divided into 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups chicken broth Use bone broth if you would like to boost the protein in the recipe.
- 4 garlic cloves Minced
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2-3 cups broccoli florets Chopped, fresh or frozen broccoli works
- 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
- foil
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup (or use two 10.5 oz of canned cream of chicken soup if that is your wish)
- 2 cups broth
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ -1 teaspoon onion powder I use 1 teaspoon
- ½ -1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup (Skip this if you are using canned soup)
- Add the chicken broth to a saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- Combine the flour, milk, and seasonings in a separate bowl. Stir until the flour is combined.
- Slowly add the mixture to the pot with the broth. Stir.
- Lower the heat to medium low and cook until the mixture thickens, about 6-10 minutes. Taste repeatedly adjust the spices and seasoning as needed. This is important to avoid a bland casserole.
- Allow the soup to cool.
Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Season the chicken breasts or thighs with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Rub the spices into the chicken.
- In a 9x13 baking dish, combine the chicken broth, minced garlic, cream of chicken soup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the rice, broccoli, seasoned chicken, and 1 cup of grated cheese. Stir to combine. Top with 2 cups of remaining cheese. (You can also wait to add the 2 cups of cheese on top until the end if you want a crunchy cheesy top layer.)
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50-60 minutes. Bake until the rice is tender and the chicken has a reached an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.
- Remove the foil and and return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (If you waited to add the 2 cups of cheese, add it now.)
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. This gives the rice time to absorb any remaining liquid and makes the casserole easier to scoop.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently asked questions and Recipe pro tips
Yep! That's the whole point of this recipe. The rice cooks right in the baking dish while everything else bakes, so you don't have to dirty another pot.
Absolutely. Rotisserie chicken is a good shortcut. Just shred it, stir it in, and you're good to go. Just keep in mind that because the chicken is already fully cooked, it will likely dry out in the recipe because it's being cooked again.
Yes. I always recommend thawing and draining any excess moisture first. You can add it while frozen, but I find that it sometimes will make the dish too watery.
Most of the time it's because the casserole wasn't tightly covered while it baked. The rice needs that trapped steam to cook. Also make sure you're using the type of rice called for in the recipe. Brown rice, instant rice, and wild rice all have different cook times. You need long-grain rice.
I wouldn't. It's also so easy to just dump and bake. The rice will soak up a lot of the moisture from the liquid ingredients and possibly alter the cook time.
Absolutely! Casseroles are even better the next day after they have had time to sit.
Sharp cheddar is my go-to because it brings the most flavor, but Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or a blend all work well too. If you can, shred your own cheese. It melts so much better than the pre-shredded kind.
Of course. Cauliflower, mushrooms, peas, carrots, spinach, or diced bell peppers all work well. It's an easy recipe to clean out the veggie drawer.
Definitely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay juicy and bring even more flavor. Use whichever you have on hand.
Frozen broccoli that wasn't drained, using too much liquid, or not letting the casserole rest after baking are the usual culprits. Give it about 10 minutes to rest before serving so everything has time to set up.
Yes. Make my Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe.
The rice should be tender, the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F, and the cheese should be melted and bubbly. If the rice still has a bite, cover it back up and bake a little longer.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven with a splash of chicken broth or milk if you'd like to loosen it up.
Let the casserole cool completely, then wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture.
What To Pair With Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Honestly, it's a full meal on its own. If you want to round it out, add a simple side salad, garlic bread, dinner rolls, roasted vegetables, or fresh fruit.
Substitutions and variations
- Rotisserie chicken
- Turkey
- Broccoli and cauliflower blend
- Mixed vegetables
- Peas and carrots
- Green beans
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Cream of celery soup
- Colby Jack cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Pepper Jack cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cajun or Creole seasoning
- Ranch seasoning
- Italian seasoning
- Hot sauce
- Bacon
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Diced onions
- Bell peppers
- Crispy fried onions topping
More Casserole Recipes
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Classic Green Bean Casserole
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Nanette Wild says
I found this recipe years ago when I was looking for something to take to a potluck dinner and it called for Vlveeta cheese cubed and combined combined with all the ingredients. It made the sauce silky smooth and golden after the last 10 minutes uncovered.
Brandi Crawford says
Nice! You found a different recipe, not mine. I don't cook with processed cheese.
Monica O says
We needed a quick, simple dinner for the next few nights, and this was perfect! Love that it's one pan, and the flavor was great! We added some cayenne pepper to ours, to give it a little heat, but it's totally great without it. We'll be keeping this in rotation for easy dinner!
Brandi Crawford says
Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!