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Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is a classic dinner casserole that everyone will love. Topped with a crunchy bacon and Ritz cracker topping, it’s a filling and delicious weeknight dinner that’s simple to make with everyday ingredients.

Broccoli Rice Casserole is one of our favorite side dishes and it’s super easy to turn it into a main dish casserole by adding leftover smoked chicken. You can also take a shortcut with a rotisserie chicken from the deli for this tasty family dinner. 

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Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole in a white dish with text title overlay

Ingredients for Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:

Ingredients for chicken broccoli rice casserole

  • Smoked Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken
  • Rice
  • Frozen Broccoli
  • Chicken Broth
  • Water Chestnuts
  • Green Onions
  • Colby or Cheddar Cheese
  • Sour Cream
  • Heavy Cream
  • Spicy Brown Mustard
  • Rosemary
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Cooked Bacon
  • Ritz Crackers
  • Butter

How to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole:

  • Bake bacon in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

cooking rice in chicken broth

  • Add broth and rice to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to simmer for 10 minutes.

frozen broccoli in a pan of rice

  • Add broccoli over rice, do not stir. Cover and continue to cook 5 minutes. 

Diced chicken, diced green onions, water chestnuts on a gray cutting board

  • Meanwhile, dice or shred chicken. Chop water chestnuts and green onions.

Shredded colby cheese on a wood cutting board with grater

  • Shred cheese.

Casserole dish with sauce for rice casserole

  • In a casserole dish mix sour cream, heavy cream, chicken broth, mustard, rosemary, salt & pepper. 

adding chicken and cheese in rice casserole

  • Add chicken, water chestnuts, green onions and half of shredded cheese. 

Casserole dish with chicken, cheese and creamy sauce with wood spoon

  • Mix well. 

adding rice and steamed broccoli to casserole dish

  • Add rice and broccoli to casserole dish.

Chicken, rice, broccoli casserole mixture in casserole dish

  • Stir until all combined. 

Broccoli Rice Casserole topped with shredded cheese

  • Top with remaining cheese. 

Baking cheesy broccoli rice casserole - overhead view -melted cheese

  • Bake for 15 minutes.

Bowl of crushed ritz crackers, bacon and butter

  • Meanwhile, crush crackers into a bowl and mix with crumbled bacon and butter.

Bacon and crushed ritz cracker topped rice casserole -overhead view

  • Remove casserole from oven and top with bacon and cracker mixture.

 

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole with bacon ritz topping

  • Return to oven for another 10- 15 minutes until crackers are toasted and casserole is bubbly around the edges.
  • Serve immediately. 

How to Make Ahead:

Prep the casserole to the point of baking but do not add the cheese on top until just before you place it in the oven. Tightly wrap casserole dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to a day in advance. 

If you are using a glass casserole dish, bring to room temperature before baking. 

Chicken Broccoli and Rice is also a great dish to meal prep. The chicken, rice, broccoli and bacon can all be cooked in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the casserole. 

Broccoli and chicken and rice casserole topped with ritz crackers and bacon in an oval dish

How to Store and Reheat:

Store cooled casserole covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. 

To reheat, place in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake in a 325° oven for about 15- 20 minutes or until heated through.

Can be reheated in a non stick skillet with about a tablespoon of butter over medium heat, stir often until heated through. 

Plated chicken broccoli rice casserole with biscuits

What to Serve with Chicken Broccoli Casserole:

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits or Garlic Bread go great with this casserole and add a nice green salad to round out your meal.

If you are looking for a quick weeknight dinner, this easy Chicken Stir Fry is always a family favorite.

Spoonful of chicken broccoli rice casserole - closeup

Delicious Main Dish Casseroles

Casserole dish with chicken, broccoli rice casserole

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is a great go-to dinner for those nights when you can’t decide what to cook. Add it to your meal plan this week and let me know how it turns out!

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Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole in a casserole dish
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is a classic dinner casserole that everyone will love. Topped with a crunchy bacon and Ritz cracker topping, it's a filling and delicious weeknight dinner that's simple to make with everyday ingredients.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broccoli rice casserole, cheesy chicken broccoli casserole, chicken and rice
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 594kcal
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
  • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth divided use
  • 10 ounces Frozen Broccoli
  • 8 oz water chestnuts drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions
  • 8 ounces shredded Colby or cheddar cheese divided use
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed into crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Add rice to a saucepan with 3 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower to simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add broccoli over rice but do not stir. Cover and continue to cook 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a casserole dish, whisk together sour cream, heavy cream, remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper.
  • Mix in diced chicken, water chestnuts, green onions and half of cheese.
  • Stir in cooked rice and broccoli and mix until well combined.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combined crushed Ritz crackers with crumbled bacon and butter.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle cracker and bacon mixture evenly over casserole.
  • Return to oven for 10 -15 minutes until cracker crumbs are toasted and edges of casserole are bubbly.

Notes

Store cooled casserole covered in refrigerator up to 4 days.
Reheat in 325° oven, covered with foil for 20 minutes. Don't place a cold glass dish in oven, transfer to another oven safe dish.
Can be reheated in a non stick skillet over medium heat with about 1 tablespoon butter, stirring often until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 1435mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

 

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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