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Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is one of my favorite weeknight dinners. I use shredded rotisserie chicken and already-cooked rice, so the hands-on part takes about ten minutes, and then it all bakes in one dish. The mayonnaise and sour cream give the creamy base a little tang, but not so much that kids will turn their nose up. I bet this easy cheesy comfort food will quickly become one of your favorites too!
This is a dump-and-bake casserole in the best sense. You stir the creamy base right in the baking dish, fold in the broccoli, chicken, rice, and cheese, and top it with buttery crackers before it goes in the oven. There’s no roux to babysit and no separate pot for the rice, since the rice goes in already cooked.
The mayonnaise and sour cream add a little richness and tang to the cream of chicken soup base, and they keep the sauce creamy instead of stiff as it bakes. I know these days a lot of folks shy away from using canned soups, but in my opinion, you do what you gotta do to get food on the table!
Testing results for chicken broccoli rice casserole
- We tested using fresh broccoli florets, steamed, and frozen broccoli. The fresh broccoli works the best and gives the best texture.
- I’ve used leftover rice and one of those rice packets here, and either one works just fine.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
P.S. I find that with the chicken, this is a complete one-dish meal, so we usually don’t have anything else. If you need to add a little more to your menu, I’d suggest either a Simple Green Salad with my Lemon Vinaigrette, some Roasted Green Beans, or this fabulous Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing.
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Cream of chicken soup. This is the creamy base that holds everything together. One 10.5-ounce can is plenty for a 9×13 dish.
Broccoli. Fresh florets cut into bite-size pieces go in raw and cook through as the casserole bakes. Cut them small and roughly even so they finish at the same time.
Rotisserie chicken. Shredded rotisserie chicken keeps this fast, but leftover chicken or a couple of freshly baked breasts work just as well. If you’d rather cook and shred a batch yourself, my Shredded Crockpot Chicken gives you tender chicken you can pull apart with two forks.
Cooked rice. White, brown, or a pre-made packet all work here, whatever you have on hand. It needs to be already cooked, since the casserole bakes just long enough to heat through and melt the cheese.
Cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar gives you the most flavor, though mild works if that’s what you have. Grate your own, since pre-shredded cheese is coated to keep it from clumping and doesn’t melt as smoothly.
Chicken in a Biskit crackers. These crackers make the crunchy topping, crushed and scattered over the casserole before it bakes.
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole
This casserole comes together with just a few steps, all in one dish. Here’s how to do it.
- Stir the cream of chicken soup, milk, mayonnaise, sour cream, and seasonings together right in the baking dish until smooth.
- Fold in the broccoli, chicken, rice, and cheese, and mix until everything is coated.
- Scatter the crushed crackers over the top, brush them with melted butter, and bake until the casserole is bubbly and the topping is golden.
Variations and substitutions
- Use brown rice. Cooked brown rice adds fiber and a nuttier, chewier bite. It bakes the same way since the rice is already cooked.
- Swap the soup. Cream of mushroom or celery works in place of cream of chicken.
- Swap the cheese. Any good melting cheese works instead of Cheddar. Colby, Monterey Jack, or a Cheddar-Jack blend all melt smoothly.
- Swap the vegetable. Broccoli is classic, but peas or cut green beans work in the same amount. Frozen vegetables are fine as long as you thaw and drain them well first.
- Change the topping. No Chicken in a Biskit on hand? Crushed Ritz, saltines, French-fried onions, or cornflakes all give you a crunchy top.
Make ahead, storage, and freezing
Make ahead. You can assemble the whole casserole a day in advance, cover it, and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Hold off on the cracker topping and butter until right before it goes in the oven so the crackers stay crunchy, and add a few extra minutes to the bake time if you start it cold.
Freezing. This casserole freezes well either before or after baking. To freeze it unbaked, assemble without the cracker topping, wrap it well, and freeze for up to three months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and add the topping before baking. To freeze leftovers after baking, cool completely, portion into containers, and reheat from frozen or thawed.
Storage and reheating. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to four days in a covered container. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm a larger amount covered in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through.
What to serve with chicken broccoli rice casserole
This casserole is close to a full meal on its own, with the chicken, rice, and broccoli all in one dish, so I usually just round it out with something simple. A basket of warm Buttermilk Dinner Rolls is always welcome for scooping up the creamy sauce, and a plate of Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Tomatoes adds color and a fresh, snappy bite next to all that richness.
For more one-dish dinners like this one, take a look at my Best Southern Comfort Food Recipes.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup Duke's mayonnaise
- ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups shredded sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup crushed Chicken in a Biskit crackers
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise, 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt to the baking dish. Mix until combined.
- Add 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 2 cups cooked rice, and 2 cups shredded sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese. Mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Scatter 1/2 cup crushed Chicken in a Biskit crackers evenly over the top. Use a pastry brush to dab 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted over the crackers.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to four days in a covered container. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm a larger amount covered in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through.
Yes. Thaw it fully and drain or squeeze out the extra water first, or it will release liquid as the casserole bakes and thin the sauce. Fresh florets go in raw, but frozen ones are already soft, so drying them off is the important step.
Yes. Cooked egg noodles work in the same amount as the rice and give you a creamier, more pasta-bake texture. Cook them just to al dente first, since they’ll soften a little more in the oven.
No, bake it uncovered. The casserole is assembled with cooked ingredients and only needs to heat through, and leaving it uncovered lets the cracker topping crisp and brown.
Not as written, since both the condensed cream of chicken soup and the crackers contain wheat. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free condensed soup or a from-scratch sauce thickened with a gluten-free flour, and swap the crackers for crushed gluten-free crackers or cornflakes.
