Chicken broccoli rice casserole (from scratch!)

Amazing chicken broccoli rice casserole made simply from scratch. This is the most amazing version of this popular casserole that I’ve ever eaten! There’s juicy and tender chicken, broccoli, rice, flavorful homemade mushroom sauce (quick and easy!), all covered with gooey melted sharp cheddar cheese and crunchy breadcrumb parmesan topping. This amazing dish is loved by our whole family, is easy to reheat and freeze. Try my take on this casserole!

Additionally, we’re making quick and easy mushroom sauce (from scratch!) and breadcrumb parmesan topping

For the mushroom sauce I used:

• cremini mushrooms (baby bella mushrooms) – you can use button mushrooms instead (cremini mushrooms are just a little bit more delicious than button mushrooms, in my opinion)
• broth – use chicken broth or vegetable broth or water + crushed good-quality broth cubes, if you don’t have any of these ingredients on hand, use milk or just water
• cream – if you want to reduce calories, use milk instead
• milk – I added it to make the sauce a little bit lighter, you can use cream instead, or just water
• amazing seasonings – lemon juice, Dijon mustard
• flour – makes the sauce thick

For the breadcrumb topping you’ll need:

• butter
• breadcrumbs – you can use regular breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs which are more crunchy
• grated Parmesan cheese – can be omitted if you don’t have it on hand, but use more breadcrumbs instead

Change it up

• Use a different protein – for example, salmon would be great here! Treat it like chicken – chop into smaller pieces, stir with spices and add raw to the other ingredients.
• Use pasta instead of rice – cook the pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions.
• Use a different kind of cheese – the best is sharp cheddar cheese but Gruyere cheese would also be great! You could also add Swiss cheese or mozzarella, but since their flavor is much milder I would add additional grated Parmesan cheese to the casserole.
• Use different veggies – cauliflower or zucchini would also be great.
• Make it vegetarian – omit the chicken and just add more broccoli or other veggies!

Step by step instructions:

This is a complete recipe but you can scroll down for printable recipe card with ingredient list.

Prepare the ingredients

STEP 1: Start with cooking the rice: rinse 1.5 cups rice under cold water, drain. Add to a medium pot, salt to taste, and add 3 cups of boiling water. Bring the water to the boil then cook over very low heat, covered, for 10 minutes. You don’t have to drain the rice.

It’s important that the rice is a little undercooked since it will be baked later in the oven. I’m usually cooking the rice for about 15 minutes, but for this recipe, I’m only cooking it for 10 minutes.

STEP 2: Dice the chicken and mix it with the spices: cut 4 medium chicken breasts into 1-inch (2-3 cm) cubes, season with salt, pepper, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, and 1 Tbsp garlic powder. Set aside.

Don’t cook the chicken!! This is one of the things that makes this recipe amazing. Diced chicken breasts don’t need much time to be cooked through – adding raw meat to the casserole may feel weird but it makes the meat tender and perfectly cooked and juicy as it soaks up the mushroom sauce. I’ve tried browning the chicken first (but not cooking it through) and then adding it to the other casserole ingredients but it came out much drier.

STEP 3: Cook the broccoli – cut 1 lb (450g) broccoli into small florets, add to a large pot filled with salted water, cook for about 2-3 minutes, until partially soft and partially crunchy. Drain the broccoli and rinse with cold water.

Broccoli should also be undercooked as it will continue to cook in the oven. Instead of cooking the broccoli in a pot of boiling water, you can also steam it if you have a steamer. I usually steam the broccoli in a sieve hung over a pot filled with boiling water, then cover the sieve with a lid. In this case, there’s just too much broccoli to steam it this way – you would have to stir the broccoli all the time to ensure that all the florets are evenly cooked – it takes too much time for me. The broccoli stem is also edible – just peel it and chop into cubes.

Make the mushroom sauce

STEP 4 (photos 4,5,6): Next, we’re making the mushroom sauce: Cut 1/2 lb (225g) mushrooms into 1/4-inch (5mm) half slices. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a big frying pan. Add the mushrooms in an even layer. Cook them over high heat for about 2 minutes, letting the mushrooms brown. Stir the mushrooms, then add all the other ingredients for the sauce (1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup broth, 1 ts lemon juice, 1 ts Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp flour), bring the sauce to the boil and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The key is to quickly brown the mushrooms with butter in a pan for more flavor. Try to not stir it at first, letting them brown a little, then add all the other ingredients for the sauce, stir and cook for about 1 minute. That’s it!

Make the breadcrumb parmesan topping

STEP 5 (photos 7,8): we’re making the crunchy topping: Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a small pot, take the pot off the heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs until combined, then 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan.

Melt the butter in a pot, then stir in the breadcrumbs, then stir in the Parmesan cheese. You need to add them in that order – if you add the cheese directly to the hot melted butter it will clump! So first we’re stirring the butter with the breadcrumbs and then with the cheese.

Assemble the casserole

STEP 6: Now it’s time to assemble the casserole (photos 9,10,11,12): Add all the prepared ingredients into a large casserole dish (9×13 inch (23×33 cm)): cooked rice, broccoli, mushroom sauce, raw chicken, 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese and stir together.

Next, layer the remaining cheddar cheese on top and cover with the breadcrumb topping.

STEP 7: Bake the casserole: in an oven preheated to 375°F / 190°C for about 25-30 minutes. Try to not cook it longer to not overcook the chicken. The casserole is ready when the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and the chicken cooked through. If after this time the topping is not golden yet, you can turn on the fan or move the baking dish under the broiler to quickly brown the topping. Leave the casserole for 5-10 minutes to rest then dive in !!

ENJOY!

Top tips for making the perfect chicken broccoli and rice casserole:

1. The rice and broccoli should be undercooked – they will continue to cook in the oven. This ensure that the rice is not mushy and the broccoli still a little crispy.
2. Add raw chicken to the casserole – the chicken will not be overcooked and super juicy as it soaks up the mushroom sauce.
3. For extra flavor use sharp cheddar cheese and not a mild variety.
4. Don’t omit the topping – it makes this casserole so amazing!

Storing and freezing options:

How to make ahead: theoretically, you can prepare all the ingredients for the casserole, assemble them and bake it later but I don’t recommend it. Rice absorbs the sauce and it becomes super mushy. The topping will be also less crunchy. Alternatively, you can prepare all the ingredients and store them separately from the sauce and the topping. Then assemble it right before the baking.

How to store this casserole: Store baked casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days. Wrap the dish in plastic foil. Reheat whole or just some of the servings. I like to reheat it in the oven. I place the dish in a cold oven and turn it to 375°F/190°C and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the casserole is warm and the topping crunchy (if the topping is rather soggy and not crunchy, you can turn on the fan or move the dish under the broiler).

How to freeze it: I like to portion the casserole into servings and freeze it this way rather than whole as it’ just quicker to thaw it but both are possible. I like to thaw it in the fridge overnight and then just warm up like described above. You can also place it in the oven straight from the freezer and bake at 320°F/160°C (starting with a cold oven) until thawed and warm – this, unfortunately, won’t be quick – you’ll need about an hour (just for 1 serving). If the topping is not crunchy increase the temperature and bake it longer or turn on the fan/move the baking dish under the broiler. The casserole that has been frozen tastes the same as freshly made, the topping can also be very crunchy but the rice is super mushy which can not be avoided.

Other casserole recipes you may like:

• Baked ratatouille (confit byaldi)
• Bobotie recipe – South African curried meatloaf casserole
• Briami – Greek-style roasted vegetables
• Baked chicken with apples and onions

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!