Our Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is baked in a super, super, creamy, sauce, then topped off with lots of gooey cheese and buttery breadcrumbs.
Our Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is one of those dishes that is perfect in its pure, wholesome, simplicity. And let me tell you, it’s a snap to put together as well. Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole…….Who doesn’t love an easy and delicious dinner recipe to make for a weeknight meal? Use a flavorful and convenient rotisserie chicken or maybe leftover chicken you already have on hand and dinners almost done! A few more ingredients tossed in you’ve got a winner, winner chicken dinner! Done right!!!
Are you looking for a recipe for your pickiest eaters? Want a recipe that includes a nice amount of veggies, even picky eaters will like? Well, friend, here it is. You can use fresh or frozen broccoli. See the notes below to choose which broccoli is right for you 🙂
This recipe is similar to but differs slightly from, Chicken Divan in that the sauce is ultimately a bit lighter tasting. The Chicken Divan recipe that I first learned to make decades ago had a lot of mayonnaise in the sauce with a bit of fresh lemon juice in its base. No mayonnaise in this sauce. It also is different in that this dish has rice included in it and Chicken Divan doesn’t.
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:
You can mix all of the filling ingredients in one large mixing bowl. I mixed the sauce ingredients in a separate small bowl just for the photo. I wanted you to see the ratio of sauce to the ratio of other ingredients. This recipe makes a really moist and creamy casserole without being too soupy. Don’t you just a hate dry casserole!
Step By Step: How To Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
1. Preheat oven. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and prepare the ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, mix cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire, lemon juice, seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Add chicken, broccoli, and rice in the mixture. Fold until combined.
4. Evenly sprinkle shredded cheese on top the casserole. Mix the remaining ingredients for the topping and sprinkle evenly over cheese layer. Bake until cooked.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 cans Campbells condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt optional
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2-3 cups chicken cooked and cubed or shredded
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 cups cooked rice
Topping:
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the first 8 ingredients until evenly combined. Add the chicken, broccoli, and rice and fold until evenly coated and ingredients are mixed. Pour into prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the top of the casserole evenly with grated cheese. In a small bowl, mix together panko, dried thyme, and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over cheese layer. Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes or until casserole is heated through and panko crumbs are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes For The Best Chicken And Rice Casserole:
General:
Honestly, this couldn’t be easier to fix. It really should be called Easy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole!
First, mix together your ingredients in a bowl, top the mixture with cheddar cheese then some buttery panko bread crumbs, bake et viola! You have deliciousness all warm and bubbly in a 9X13 inch baking dish. Pop under the broiler to give this dish, it’s perfect golden~brown delicious color. Easy comfort food at its finest!
This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole can be made ahead of time, just wait to make and apply the toppings until ready to bake.
I hope this Chicken Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole becomes a favorite in your house too!
Chicken:
Let’s talk about the chicken in the casserole. Just about any cooked chicken, you have on hand will work in this recipe.
This recipe works great using rotisserie chicken. You just can’t beat them. They’re beautifully cooked and all of the meat is deliciously seasoned, not just the skin! Every time I’m at Costco, I always pick up an extra rotisserie chicken to use in recipes like this. In fact, whenever my family sees me come home with a Costco chicken, THIS is the recipe everyone begs me to make!!!
Another type of chicken that I occasionally use in this recipe is leftover grilled chicken. It works great. It seems like after I have a big family barbecue, I always have a few leftover pieces of chicken. I’ll whip this casserole the next day using the extra chicken and the whole family is happy.
If you want to start with uncooked chicken, simply simmer it, chop or shred it, then it’s all ready to use in the casserole.
Broccoli:
How about some broccoli. If you use fresh broccoli, chop it fairly small, into about 1/2 inch pieces. It will cook up, in about 30 minutes, to the texture of ‘al dente’. The pieces will be slightly soft with a good amount of chew left in them. If you want the fresh broccoli, cooked very soft, you may need to increase your overall cook time a bit to get the broccoli to the tenderness you desire.
If you want a broccoli that’s cooked until it’s really soft, I suggest starting with frozen, very well thawed broccoli, and chopping it into 1/2 inch pieces. Make sense?
I don’t like using already cooked (like leftover) broccoli in this casserole. I find that it breaks up too much for my tastes. Instead of getting a piece of broccoli in the finished casserole you get tiny flecks of it throughout the whole thing.
Craving more broccoli? Try our Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole!
Variations:
This recipe is really versatile and can be customized to your tastes. Sometimes, when I have extra time on my hands, I make the casserole with half of a chopped onion, slowly sauteed and cooled, then added to the casserole at step 2 making it 9 ingredients.
Another variation that is super popular in my house is to add 1 cup of cooked and crumbled bacon to the casserole.
Then, occasionally, I switch up the topping, substituting the Panko crumbs with the same amount of crushed corn flakes.
Another topping variation we really like is simply using crushed Ritz crackers or Chicken In The Basket Crackers as a topping instead of the panko.
My family absolutely loves this Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole and I serve it often, so, I like to have all the variations to keep everyone happy and wanting more. It seems that each family member has their own favorite variation! LOL!
Cheese:
Now, about the cheese. I always use extra sharp cheddar cheese. The extra sharp cheddar brings a stronger cheese flavor to the overall dish, in my opinion. You can use whatever you have on hand or whichever you prefer. Extra sharp is the best way to go in my book! Orange cheddar cheese, as opposed to white cheddar, gives your casserole a better overall look, but you can’t beat white cheddar for flavor. I think this would also be delicious with Monterey Jack cheese, Pepper Jack, Swiss or even Mozzarella. You choose 🙂
How about a healthy chicken broccoli rice casserole?
Use 2 cups of precooked brown rice instead of the standard white rice. Et, Viola you have Chicken Broccoli Brown Rice casserole! Use Campbell’s Healthy Request Condensed soup to reduce fat and sodium. They have a heart-healthy 0 grams of trans fat in them. Cut down the amount of cheese to 1/2 cup sprinkled on top. Use reduced-fat cheese. Use reduced fat Ritz crackers. Cut down the amount of cracker to half the amount.
More Casserole Recipes!
- Chile Relleno Casserole -Infused with all the taste of a chile relleno without all the mess and fuss!
- Easy Dorito Casserole Recipes – Layered with a zesty beef filling – it has all the flavor of our favorite orange chips without all the hassle of orange finger-tips!
- Chicken Tater Tot Casserole– Oooey gooey, creamy and delicious loaded with chunks of Chicken and Bacon coated with a Creamy Sauce, topped with Cheesy Tater Tots!
- Cabbage Roll Casserole – Hearty and filling, while simultaneously being quick and easy to put together!
- Chicken Tamale Casserole -Thick layer of a delicious, sweet corn pudding topped with chicken, a little sauce, and loads of gooey melted cheese!
Cookies - Chicken Tortilla Casserole– Always a hearty family favorite, Chicken Tortilla Casserole makes the most of convenient ingredients while packing tons of rich flavor in every creamy bite!
- Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole– Our Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole is a deliciously decadent side dish with its lusciously thick, from scratch cream sauce with a cheesy crunchy top!
- No Peek Chicken – Ready for quick and delicious, No Peek Chicken nails it. Impressive enough for a special night, yet it’s perfect for a family dinner!
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole – is loaded with creaminess, smokiness, and topped with buttery crispiness! And, it’s super quick to make!
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Hi! I’m a college kid new to cooking, wondering how to make this gluten free (making this for my boyfriends gluten free family) so I’m new to cooking and new to gluten free haha. Would the biggest thing be taking out bread crumbs and doing GF cream of chicken be it or would there be more to it?
Hi Kylie. I’m really sorry but since I do not make many gluten-free recipes, I haven’t worked out the conversions. 🙁
Do I cook the frozen broccoli before adding it to the dish?
Hi Doreensima! No need to cook the broccoli. 😀 Just defrost it and add to the dish before baking. Hope this helps!
Do I cook the chicken before adding it to the mix??!??
Yes 🙂
I am a onion and garlic adding person, but I followed the recipe to a T except my own seasonings. It was very tasty and filling. I will be repeating this recipe often. Thanks for this one…
You’re welcome, Cheryl! ❤️
Added just a touch of smoked paprika, but followed recipe otherwise. It was so delicious! The men in my house gave it 5 stars (I always have them rate to decide whether to use that recipe again). 5 stars is very rare for them. WIll be making this again!
Wow! I’m honored the men gave me 5 stars!
Second time making this. It was a definte upgrade from the campbells recipe that was just,meh for the family. Talking amongst about making it with cauliflower. Maybe?
Hi Russ! You can definitely try it! 😀
Can I make this with uncooked rice? It is there not enough liquid to cook the rice in it while it’s baking?
Hi Teresa, no the recipe doesn’t have enough liquid.
Can we use egg noodles instead of rice?
Hi Dave. I wouldn’t because the proportions would be off. Sorry!
Would love to make this for thanksgiving, would love to prep or cook today. Is there anyway to warm it up tomorrow without drying it?
Hi Pat! I recommend covering it with a lid. That’ll keep the moisture in. Hope this helps! 😃
Very delicious! I made this with a rotisserie chicken and added a can of mushrooms to mine and it it was really great. I think next time I will make a smaller portion because with 2 of us this makes a lot. Both my husband and I have ate it a few times and still have some left. I will also try one of your other topping suggestions as I like the variety. I made this recipe exactly as stated besides adding the mushrooms and it was fantastic! Thanks so much.
You’re welcome, Kelly! That’s great! I’m so happy you and your husband liked it! Love the mushroom idea <3
Hi Nicole!
I completely understand. Everyone has different preferences and I appreciate the input for sure. Others have said they enjoyed the cream of mushroom in this recipe, too. Hopefully it’ll be a hit next time you make it. Thank you for sharing!
I made this last night and my people absolutely loved it. Hands down the best way to get my 10 year old picky eater to eat broccoli.
So glad to hear it was a hit with your family! It was always a good way to get some veggies into my kiddos, too! Thanks for sharing!
Can I made this recipe and freeze it?
Thanks,
Donna
Hi Donna! Yes, you can freeze it. Hope this helps!
Delicious! I use cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken, cut the poultry seasoning in half, add a tad more lemon juice and mix in French’s onions into the panko–my family loves!!
Hi KJ!
So glad the family loves it…your variations sound de-lish!
I made this tonight and my husband, who usually isn’t big on casseroles, loved it. Normally he doesn’t care either way if I keep recipes or not but he requested that I keep this one so he must’ve really liked it. I also really enjoyed it!
It’s super, super easy. I really took the cheat’s way out though. I used a rotisserie chicken and just tore up the meat, frozen and thawed broccoli, and pre-cooked microwave rice packets. I always have a few cans of cream of chicken soup in the cupbard, and I had sour cream on hand as well as half a bag of mixed blend shredded cheese. I had to make my own bread crumbs but that’s ok.
Will definitely be making this again!
Hey Ash. that’s wonderful to hear! I LOVE when the whole family is happy <3
I cannot believe there are only 110 calories in the CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE. Is this a printing error? I have not made it yet, I have just seen all these different appetizing casserole combinations and have yet to decide which one to begin with. I love casseroles.
Oops, thanks for noticing that TERRy. It’s now updated.
This looked so good I decided to try it. And of course I messed up and used a can of cream of chicken and a can of cream of mushroom. The blend tasted good before cooking, so we’ll see how it tastes cooked. I can’t see why it would be nasty, I have used this combo before. But it was a mistake in this instance. I have my fingers crossed.
I hope it turns great, Gordon! Keep us posted! 🙂
When making this recipe do you make the cream of chicken soup by adding water to it or just use the can itself
Hi, Travis. No need to add water. I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hi,
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe! I also added corn & sauteed onions & garlic, yummy. My question is how would I reheat this without the topping getting soggy or the filling drying out?
Hi Markita, well to be honest there’s no way to avoid the top getting soggy with leftovers. You can heat it in a covered dish in a 350-degree oven. If you feel it’s a little dry, you can add a little bit of milk or even water to the filling. <3
Really delicious! I made sure to cut the broccoli into small pieces. I’ve made it twice in 2 weeks. Definitely a keeper.
Hello! Yay, that’s great! Thank you for letting us know! So happy you made it twice! 🙂
Hi, if I substitute Ritz for topping do you still make the same as breadcrumbs with the butter and other ingredients?
Hi! Yes, I would make it the same way, just substituting the Ritz crumbs for bread crumbs.I hope you enjoy it <3
Delicious!! Must try for anyone considering this recipe. I tried to leave a more lengthy review but it keeps knocking me out twice. New spin on an old favorite. Thank you.
Thanks so much Tamra! Sorry about the system not allowing you to leave a longer review. Technology can be so frustrating sometimes!! I’m so happy you enjoyed the casserole <3
Can you just use normal breadcrumbs?
Hey Beza, Yes, you can 🙂
I made this and it was a big hit with the whole family. I did not add the sour cream though. I also love that you added the nutritional information. Thank you so much for sharing!
Mayra, you’re so very welcome! Thanks for sharing that is was a hit for your family too! <3
Can I make it the night before to bake the next Day?
Yes!
Does it matter if the cooked rice is hot or cold when adding in?
Hi Deb. I generally add it when its at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. 🙂
Hoping to make this for a birthday party this weekend. Just wondering, do you cover the casserole when you bake it?
Hi Judy. No I don’t cover it when I bake it <3
I hate to ask this question in case it is too obvious (well, not to me, I guess! Lol). When using a rotisserie chicken, do you lnclude the skin in the casserole or remove it? Thank you!
That’s a great question, Susan! I personally don’t add the skin to the casserole, but it’s personal preference. Feel free to add it if you like.
My family and I loved this dish. I replaced the cream of chicken soup with homemade cream sauce to reduce sodium and rotisserie chicken, bumped up the amount of thyme to add flavor. Loved it. It’s a go to!
I’m so happy to hear that Cindy <3 I love that you made it with homemade cream sauce!
I made this tonight it was delicious!
I used 1 can creamy chicken soup and 1 can of cream of broccoli soup!
Sound like a delicious combo, Courtney! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for leaving a comment and a rating <3
Hello, if we use the rotisserie chicken should we still use the poultry seasoning since the chicken is already seasoned? Thanks
Hi Mark. I still use it. Just be really careful not to over salt with rotisserie chicken 🙂
Made this last night and it was delicious! Cut the recipe in half for me and my daughter but followed recipe exactly. Was great for lunch today too!!
Thank you so much, Julie! I’m so happy you and your daughter enjoyed it. It’s some of my favorite comfort food <3
Kathleen it’s in the oven now. Like you I am a home cook to. I will let you know the results.
Hi Larry! Hope you loved the casserole. Its a favorite in our house because it has a lot of creamy sauce tying everything together.
I’ve made this twice now and it’s my husband’s favorite casserole! He hates casseroles usually.
Both times I used crushed cornflakes on the top and that adds a really yummy crunch. I’ve made with 1 can each of cream of mushroom and cream of chicken.
If you have an instapot try making the chicken in bulk in there first and then shredding using a hand mixer. I use the shredded chicken in recipes like this and it’s very good and so easy.
Thanks Christy! I’m so excited o hear that the Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole has become your hubbys favorite! Yay! The cornflake topping is a really great idea and a yummy way to change things up. Love the Instant Pot tip <3
If I cut this recipe in half would a 9×9 pan be okay?
Hi Courtney! Yes that would work great <3
What are your tips for making this ahead of time? Can it be frozen?
Hey Joanne. I’m sorry but I haven’t made this one and frozen it. It should work out well though. I’d love to hear back from you if you try it! Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Can freeze but only for 1-2 weeks or chicken gets hard and freezer burnt, this is due to the dairy products in recipe, for we all know that dairy doesn’t freeze well.
Thanks so much Dave! 🙂
Finally got a chance to make this: yummy! Just realized I forgot the lemon juice…oh well. Used the rice medley from Trader Joe’s which added a bit of color and chewy texture, which I like. Soooo easy! This will be a staple for us! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks Shelley. So happy you enjoyed!
Do you think I could add stovetop stuffing as a topping instead of the bread crumbs?
Sounds like a great idea Ashley 🙂
I want to make this recipe tonight, is it better to cook the broccoli before or not? Thanks.
I prefer to add it chopped fairly small and raw to the casserole.
This is the BEST chicken casserole ever! It is my new GO TO for every event. It disappears very quickly, and I’m always asked to provide the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
So glad you liked the recipe Julie! Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
This was so yummy. No sour cream (oops it died on me)…so used equal parts heavy (whipping) cream and milk. Took your suggestion for flavoured cracker topping. Keeper of a recipe.
So glad you liked it Wendy 🙂
I have made this twice now to people just loving it.. I didn’t think I was going to like it.. but I gotta say.. I was impressed
So happy you enjoy it Dawn 🙂
Cooked this today and it was very good!I used minute brown rice and 3 medley minute rice with brown and red rice and quinoa.I used the Ritz crackers/butter topping.Also cooked a bit longer,45-50min.
Thanks
Love your changes Tim!
Been a while since this was posted but I used Campbell’s cream of Mushroom with roasted garlic soup and i dodnt have sour cream so I used a buttermilk nust to add a thicker liquid….it still turned out pretty darn good!
Sounds delicious Erica!
Fantastic! My family loved it and said this recipe was a keeper! I even ate it for breakfast the next morning…LOL! As good as it is right out of the oven, it’s even tastier the next day. Thanks so much!
You’re so welcome Debbie! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole 🙂
Wow! I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Quick question – Have you ever tried freezing the leftovers? There’s only 2 of us and I certainly don’t want any of this to go to waste!
Hey Emma. So glad you liked the casserole! Its one of my fav’s! I’m sorry I’ve never frozen this casserole. I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work out well, though. I’d love to hear back from you if you try it.
I have never commented on any recipe that I’ve found on Pinterest, but tonight I just had to.This was delicious! It’s going into the regular rotation for sure!
Hi Shawna. So glad you liked it. Thanks so much for leaving a comment 🙂
So do you do one cup of cheese in the casserole and one cup on top?
Hi Brianna. You can make it that way, and I’ve done it that way, but I prefer it just on the top.
Hi, this looks and sounds delicious, will make this in the next week or two. Just wondering, what do you serve it with? Extra rice…or potatoes…or does it not need anything on the side? Thanks!
Hi Naomi. I think of this recipe as a one dish dinner. If everyone in my family seems extra hungry sometimes I’ll make a quick salad. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
oh my goodness yummy! i had to do most from scratch bc i live in norway and i dont have cream of anything soups that i have seen lol since i had no sourcream i used a little african paprika flavored cream cheese, mayo and milk lol all the flavors blend so nicely and that bit of worcestershire just sets it off! i used quinoa instead of rice as well. im just in that sort of mood lol i buy panko everytime im in the states so im so glad i had just enough! i used a cup bc i have to save it lol i havent tried the finish product but if its anything like the flavors before im so excited, its in the oven now!
Hi Karen! Wow,so glad you could make the substitutions! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Making this now and it smells delicious. I only had Italian bread crumbs that had some panko crumbs thrown into it so I hope it still comes out ok. Thanks for the recipe, 🙂
Hi Channy. I’m sure it’ll come out really great! I think it’s fun to switch up the toppings. LMK how it comes out 🙂
I’m fixing it to nite for my husband 81 birthday ,, sounds so good thanks !
Well, happy birthday to your husband! I sure hope you both enjoy Marian! 🙂
I just made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious!! Great recipe. Even my picky toddler ate an entire plate full. Thank you!
Hi Corrina! I’m so happy it was a hit for your family too! Especially the little one 🙂