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When you need a hearty, extra-creamy, family-pleasing dinner, this Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the kind of cozy classic that always hits the spot. It’s packed with tender chicken, fluffy rice, fresh broccoli, and a velvety sauce that wraps everything together in pure comfort.
This recipe works beautifully because the sauce is thick and stable (no runny casseroles here!), the rice absorbs flavor without becoming mushy, and the chicken and broccoli bake together into one perfectly balanced, scoopable meal. The buttery panko topping locks in moisture and adds that craveable crunch that makes casseroles feel complete — especially when it turns golden in the oven.
If you love creamy chicken casseroles, you’ll also enjoy my Chicken and Rice Casserole and my all-time reader favorite Grandma’s Chicken Noodle Casserole — both are perfectly cozy options when you want something warm and comforting. And if you’d like something similar but just a little different, try my Sausage and Potato Casserole for a ground-sausage twist that still gives you that same nostalgic, baked-in-the-oven coziness. Want more easy casserole dinner ideas? You’ll find plenty in my full collection of Casserole Recipes.
✨ Before You Begin
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✨ Prep the broccoli properly: If using frozen, thaw and squeeze out excess moisture. If using fresh, parboil for just a minute or two so it bakes up tender—not crunchy.
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✨ Use cooked rice: Long-grain white rice gives the creamiest texture. Cook it in chicken broth if you want extra flavor.
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✨ Choose your chicken: Rotisserie chicken works wonderfully and saves time. Breasts or thighs are both great.
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✨ Don’t skip the preheat: For casseroles, you need an even, steady oven temperature so the sauce stays creamy and the topping browns beautifully.
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✨ Mix gently: Fold in the chicken, broccoli, and rice so the rice stays fluffy and the broccoli keeps its shape.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe Ingredients
- Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup: Cream of chicken is my favorite soup, but cream of celery will also work.
- Sour Cream: I use regular sour cream, full-fat.
- Milk: I use whole milk to make the cheese sauce rich and creamy.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a layer of meaty flavor to the sauce.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a brightness to this rich sauce.
- Dried Poultry Seasoning: The perfect mix of spices.
- Salt + Black Pepper: table salt and freshly cracked pepper.
- Cooked Chicken: This is a great recipe for rotisserie chicken. You can also poach chicken thighs or skinless chicken breasts.
- Broccoli Florets: Use thawed and well-drained frozen broccoli or parboil fresh broccoli.
- Rice: I use cooked rice. I prefer long-grain white rice.
Topping:
- Cheddar Cheese: I like sharp cheddar cheese.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: I like regular panko, but you can use the seasoned variety. If you do so, omit the thyme leaves.
- Thyme Leaves: Dried thyme leaves.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Drain the broccoli well.
Excess moisture can thin the sauce and make the casserole watery. Frozen broccoli should be wrung out in a clean dish towel; fresh should be parboiled just until crisp-tender.
⭐ Don’t use Minute Rice.
It breaks down too quickly and turns mushy. Long-grain white rice delivers the best texture and creaminess.
⭐ Taste the mixture before baking.
Since the chicken, rice, and broccoli are already cooked, this is your moment to adjust salt, pepper, or lemon to taste.
⭐ Let it rest for 5 minutes after baking.
This helps the sauce thicken slightly so your scoops come out creamy, not runny.
⭐ Try different cheeses.
Sharp cheddar is classic, but Monterey Jack or Colby Jack melt beautifully for an even creamier finish.
🔬 The Science Behind This Casserole
Creamy casseroles succeed when rich ingredients (like soup, sour cream, and milk) are paired with starches that can absorb flavor and moisture without turning gummy. Long-grain white rice is ideal because it stays fluffy and separate while still soaking in the sauce. Parboiled or squeezed-dry broccoli reduces moisture so the casserole stays thick and sliceable, and baking uncovered allows steam to escape — keeping the topping crisp instead of soggy.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire, lemon juice, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in the cooked chicken, broccoli, and rice until everything is evenly coated.
Spread into a buttered 9×13 dish. Sprinkle on the cheddar cheese. In a separate bowl, mix the panko, melted butter, and thyme, then sprinkle evenly over the cheese. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until hot and bubbling with a golden topping.
**** See full instructions below.
Storing, Reheating, Freezing & Make-Ahead Tips
Storing
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for 3–4 days. The flavors deepen as it sits, making reheated portions extra delicious.
Reheating
- Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes until hot.
- If the casserole was stored in a glass or ceramic dish, let it come to room temperature for 20–30 minutes so the dish doesn’t crack when it hits a hot oven.
- You can also microwave individual portions.
Freezing
- Assemble the casserole fully (without baking), wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed.
Make-Ahead
- Assemble the casserole 1–2 days in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
- Before baking, let the dish stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes so the ceramic or glass warms gently — this prevents thermal shock and ensures even heating.
- Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly.
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
✦ Best type of rice to use?
Long-grain white rice gives the best creamy, fluffy texture. Avoid Minute Rice — it becomes sticky and mushy.
✦ Can I use brown rice?
Yes! Just be sure it’s fully cooked. It adds a nutty flavor and slightly firmer texture.
✦ Frozen or fresh broccoli?
Both work. Frozen must be thawed and squeezed dry; fresh should be parboiled until crisp-tender.
✦ Does it need to be baked covered?
No — bake uncovered so the topping gets crisp and golden.
✦ Can I substitute the soup?
Yes. Cream of celery or cream of mushroom both work, or use a combination.
What to Serve With Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Fresh + Crisp Sides
Cozy Breads
Sweet Finishes
More Chicken Casseroles Your Family Will Love ♥
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Crack Chicken Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Tortilla Casserole
- Dorito Chicken Casserole
- Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
Tried This Recipe?
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen
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, Use thawed and well-drained frozen broccoli or parboil fresh broccoli, 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°F. Butter a 9X13 inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the first 8 ingredients until evenly combined. Add the chicken (2-3 cups), broccoli (3 cups), and rice (3 cups) and fold until evenly coated and ingredients are mixed. Pour into prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the top of the casserole evenly with grated cheese (2 cups).
- In a small bowl, mix together panko (1 1/2 cups), dried thyme (1 teaspoon), and melted butter (1/3 cup). Sprinkle evenly over the cheese layer.
- Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven 30-35 minutes or until casserole is heated through and panko crumbs are golden brown.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Looking for a low carb chicken casserole recipe? The Little Pine has one!
- Baking Dish – Use a 9×13 baking dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. This will make clean-up a breeze.
- Preheating Oven– Ovens preheat differently and some are designed to use both a top and bottom element to preheat quickly. If food is already in the oven, this quick blast of heat can char the outside while leaving the inside raw. So, you definitely want to preheat your oven before baking this to achieve the best results.
Delicious! I added onion and garlic powder just because, but my husband said it would have been good without it.
Will definitely make again!
I used frozen broccoli also.
Hi, Erica! Thank you for your feedback! Glad you and your husband like this casserole 🙂 <3
I’ve tried many chicken, rice & broccoli casseroles and this is my absolute favorite !! The crunch on top is perfect & the flavor of the overall casserole is great . I usually put it together the night before (without topping) for a super easy delicious dinner. Also, easy to cut recipe in half to enjoy with less portions.
Hi, Becky. Yay! So happy you like it. It’s so easy to make-ahead, right? 🙂
This recipe was fantastic! I’m diabetic so I switched the rice out for frozen rice cauliflower. It was amazing!
Great idea, Dayna! So happy you enjoyed! <3
This was a very easy, delicious and comforting casserole. My rice hating son actually enjoyed it, so that’s a huge win! It made enough to have leftovers the next night and I love to cook once and eat twice! It means I get the next night off for other things, so I found that this recipe yields at least 8 servings. I used Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs and omitted the thyme since the crumbs were already seasoned. I also used frozen broccoli florets (just a 12 oz or so package) thawed & drained, because it’s cheaper, works very well, and saves chopping time (I’m lazy!). It reheats very well and tastes just as good the next day as it did when it originally was baked. Another bonus, it’s budget friendly! Definitely a keeper! Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Christine! 😀 So happy to hear that your son loves it!
This is a great, healthier version of my old chicken divan recipe, which I have now retired in preference to this recipe! The only change I make is adding curry powder and a little extra lemon! So good!
It was a hit!
Wow! Thanks, Tanya!
Would you need to at least Blanche fresh broccoli first or raw works fine, that’s as always
Hi David! Just use raw broccoli. 😀 Happy cooking!
yummy! chicken + broccoli, perfect dinner!
Yaaasss! ❤️
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. 🙁
I make this gluten free by getting the GF cream of chicken soup from Walmart and use rice crispies or broken up corn flakes instead of the bread crumbs
That’s amazing, Julie! 😀 Thanks for sharing your tweaks!
You can buy GF corn flakes that are ground into Breadcrumbs . As for GF cream of chicken google homemade recipe and use corn starch instead .
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!
They gave HER a 5 * rating also,not just you!!!
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!
How long do you cook when you pull out of freezer & cook!
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.